Kategorie: News
Sword of a crusader discovered off the coast of Haifa
An Israeli diver has discovered a 900-year-old sword in the Mediterranean Sea. The weapon, with its one-meter-long blade and a 30-centimeter-long handle, was lying on the seabed off the coast south of Haifa.
"The sword, preserved in perfect condition, is a beautiful and rare find and obviously belonged to a crusader," said Nir Distelfeld of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Historic coastal towns promise archaeological finds
The stretch of coast with its natural bays served ancient ships as a shelter during storms, according to the release. According to the report, historical coastal towns were built in larger bays. These in turn would have attracted traders with their ships, which left rich archaeological finds, the agency said. At the site where the sword was found, there is evidence of its use as an anchorage as early as 4,000 years ago.
The Antiquities Authority has been monitoring the site where the sword was discovered since June. However, "finds at the site are very ephemeral because they appear and disappear with the movement of the sand," the release said. The diver discovered the sword on Saturday and took it with him, worried that it could be covered by sand again due to the swell. After the dive, he handed it over directly to the relevant authorities.