A 900-year-old sword that likely originated from the Third Crusade was discovered off the Carmel coast of Israel.
Shlomi Katzin went diving on Saturday with a GoPro attached to his forehead, and found the sword after it had been revealed by the ocean waves and undercurrents, a Monday Facebook post from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said. (RELATED: Archaeologist Spots 2,500-Year-Old Bill Statue Sticking Out Of Mud In Greece After Heavy Rain)
Shlomi Katzin is an amateur diver 🏊
⚔️ While exploring shallow waters in #Israel🇮🇱, he recently discovered a 900-year-old treasure.
According to archaeologists, Katzin discovered a #sword that dates back to the crusades. pic.twitter.com/cA2NOQnbad
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) October 19, 2021
“Katzin took the sword ashore, reported the find to the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Northern District Robbery Prevention Unit inspector,” the IAA said.
The ancient sword is among a handful of artifacts discovered by Katzin within the same 1,000-square-foot site, according to the New York Times.
The IAA said that Katzin found ancient stone, metal anchors and pottery fragments.
The area where Katzin discovered these artifacts has been monitored since June by the IAA, as it contains items of archaeological interests, according to The Times of Israel.
“The archaeological finds at the site show that it served as a small, temporary natural anchorage for ships seeking shelter. Identification of the various finds shows that the anchorage was used as early as the Late Bronze Age, 4,000 years ago,” Koby Sharvit, the Director of The Israel Antiquities Authority Marine Archeology Unit, said.
“The recent discovery of the sword suggests that the natural cove was also used in the Crusader period, some 900 years ago.”
Inspector for the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Robbery Prevention Unit, Nir Distelfeld, called this discovery a “beautiful” and “rare find”. (RELATED: Buried Viking Treasure From The 10th Century Discovered On The Isle of Man)
“The iron sword has been preserved in perfect condition […] It evidently belonged to a Crusader knight. It is exciting to encounter such a personal object, taking you 900 years back in time to a different era, with knights, armor, and swords.”
Katzin was awarded with a certificate of appreciation this week and he received additional praise from Israel Antiquities Authority’s General Director, Eli Escosido.
“Every ancient artifact that is found helps us piece together the historical puzzle of the Land of Israel,” said Escosido.
“Once the sword has been cleaned and researched in the Israel Antiquities Authority’s laboratories, we will ensure it is displayed to the public.”