Diver finds his second Crusader sword in 5 years off Israel’s coast |
A meter-long sword, roughly dating back to the 12th century CE, has been found by chance off the Carmel Coast, in the area of Dor Beach, the University of Haifa announced on Sunday.
The artifact was spotted by Shlomi Katzin, a student at the university’s Department of Maritime Civilizations, who had already found a similar sword in the area in 2021.
The sword was brought ashore with the authorization of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and underwent in-depth testing, including a CT scan at Medica Elisha Hospital, to examine the object’s characteristics and preservation beneath the shell and mineral crust that accumulated on its surface over the centuries.
“This is an extremely rare find that sheds light on the Crusader presence along the country’s coast,” Prof. Deborah Cvikel of the University of Haifa said in the statement. “In Israel, only a handful of similar swords from the Crusader period are known to date, and this discovery greatly contributes to our understanding of the use of maritime anchorages and the lives of warriors during this era.”
Katzin found the sword as he was swimming in the area and noticed a group of divers using a metal detector. Concerned that they might be seeking to loot antiquities, he managed to chase them away, and later he identified the........