Medieval Sword Found Off Israel's Hof Hacarmel Coast Was Likely Lost During a Naval Battle 800-years-ago During the Crusader Period.Image Credit : IAA
Posted on 07/27/2023 9:35:21 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
The sword was discovered in 2021 by Shlomi Katzin while conducting a study of stone and metal anchors on the seabed. The area was a natural anchorage for ships near Haifa's ancient port city that the Crusaders captured from the Arabs during the early 12th century AD.
In a new study published by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the researchers describe how the sword was found covered in a thick marine concretion of sand and shells, making it difficult to separate the metal without causing damage. However, the concretion slowed down the oxidation process, preserving the sword which would have rusted and disintegrated in the water.
By conducting a detailed X-ray study to penetrate the layers of concretions, the team have revealed that the sword had a blade approximately 88 cm's in length by 4.6 cm's in width, and appears to have been bent possibly during combat...
According to the researchers, the sword likely fell into the sea during a naval battle along with its owner. The sword could have been on one of the ships that laid siege to the coastal cities, or perhaps it belonged to a knight who was on a ship returning home to Europe.
A survey of the area where it was found has so far resulted in no further artefacts or evidence of human remains, however, according to Gosker: "The soldier may still lie undiscovered in the depths, to be revealed one day by the shifting sands."
Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said: All along the coast of Israel, there are many finds buried beneath the sand and in the sea, and they are often lost forever, or sometimes discovered by chance. It is important that qualified archaeologists record the finds and their contexts."
(Excerpt) Read more at heritagedaily.com ...
Medieval Sword Found Off Israel's Hof Hacarmel Coast Was Likely Lost During a Naval Battle 800-years-ago During the Crusader Period.Image Credit : IAA
Medieval Sword Found Off Israel’s Hof Hacarmel Coast Was Likely Lost During a Naval Battle
OR
the government was going to confiscate all swords so they were lost in a tragic boating accident...............
Lost in a fishing accident.
That’ll buff right out.
The house of Acre.
You win the thread!
Now, that’s a knoife!
It appears to be larger than 88cm (35”). May be they are only measuring the blade.
If it was a European sword, I hope it took off some muzzie head on its way overboard and into the sea. Both sword and head.
Yeah, the medieval warrior who swung that thing around must have some mussels.
Barnacles, at least.
How big did people grow then to handle a sword that size.
Eric the red nods
Yes, I suspect they did. However it was said to be 1.8” x 35” (”blade”).
Encrusted makes it look huge like a more modern Claymore sword.
There’s a guy with a youtube channel who could clean that up and make it look new.
Beautiful sword even encrusted. The encrustation almost gives it a carved ivory look, at least in the picture. 🙂
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