Global Courant
In the middle of a furious naval battle, a sword more than a meter long was thrown overboard. It settled in the sandy bottom of the Mediterranean Sea – and there it remained for at least 800 years until it was discovered by divers in 2021.
Or at least so are the narrative experts the Israel Antiquities Authority have decided, according to a July 23 Facebook post.
According to Israeli officials, the sword was discovered by divers in 2021.
In centuries past, the iron sword developed a crust of sand and shells, preventing experts from examining the metal itself without damaging the weapon, the post said. Instead, researchers used X-rays and radiography technology to penetrate the thick layers of marine concretion and get a view of the original sword.
“It’s a pity we can’t see the sword as it was,” the researchers said, according to the Facebook post. “On the other hand, the concretion is responsible for slowing down the oxidation process, preserving the sword in its entirety. Otherwise the iron would have rusted and disintegrated in the water.”
The X-ray findings were published in the July 2023 edition of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s journal, ‘Atiqot. Here’s what you need to know about the latest findings:
A rare medieval weapon
Researchers said the sword dates to the late Middle Ages, sometime between 1000 and 1500 CE, tentatively identifying it as European. Experts associated it in particular with a Frankish settlement.
The sword’s blade is just under a foot long and nearly two inches wide, according to the study. The crossguard, which researchers described as simple and straight, is just over a foot long. The handle is 4 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Experts created visualizations of the sword using advanced x-ray technology.
Experts used the sword’s medium blade and longer cross-guard to determine its age, the study said. Unlike earlier and later weapons, swords of the late Middle Ages were designed for stabbing and slashing, with a medium blade and broad cross-guard for greater protection during sword-to-sword combat.
The sword is a rare find, according to researchers and officials. European-style medieval swords are scarce and none have been excavated. Those that have been identified generally cannot be dated.
Story continues
A battle casualty
X-rays revealed that the sword’s blade was bent, indicating it was likely used in a naval battle about 800 years ago, according to the Facebook post.
“The sword was used by a Crusader warrior who settled in the country after the First Crusade and established the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1099,” Jacob Sharvit of the Israel Antiquities Authority said in the post.
‘The sword was part of a knight’s or warrior’s personal equipment. It was the main weapon in face-to-face combat at the time,” Joppe Gosker, another Israel Antiquities Authority investigator, said in the post.
In addition to the curved blade, investigators noted that the sword was found outside its scabbard — a protective sheath that covers the weapon’s blade — which is unusual.
“Because they are expensive, swords are usually found in a scabbard. In this case, only the sword was found. From this, we can deduce that it fell into the sea during combat, possibly with its owner,” the researchers said, according to the Facebook post.
The Crusader-Frankish period began with the “conquest of Jerusalem” in 1099, according to the Antiquities Authority. Thereafter, efforts turned to capturing coastal cities, leading to relations with Pisa, Venice and other Italian republics who used their naval power to attack ‘Muslim coastal cities’.
Experts said the sword may have been on an Italian ship besieging a coastal city, or it could have belonged to a knight bound for Europe.
Newe-Yam is located about 80 kilometers north of Tel Aviv.
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