A diver finds in the Mediterranean a medieval sword that belonged to a knight of the Crusades

By Saphora Smith -

An Israeli diver has discovered an ancient sword off the country's Mediterranean coast that experts say dates back to the time of the Crusades.

Shlomi Katzin was diving one weekend off the Israeli coast of Carmel, south of Haifa, when she found a treasure trove of artifacts at the bottom of the sea, such as stone and metal anchors, pottery shards and the sword, according to the Authority of Antiquities of Israel.

The weapon is believed to be about 900 years old.

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Apparently, the treasures were discovered by the displacement of the sands, which revealed the artifacts hidden at the bottom of the sea, the authority explained in a statement announcing the discovery on Monday.

According to Kobi Sharvit, director of the marine archeology unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority, this stretch of coast has numerous natural coves in which, over the years, ships have sheltered from storms and, in Sometimes they have left archaeological treasures behind.

Fearing it would be stolen or reburied, Katzin brought the hidden sword to shore and reported the find to the antiquities agency, responsible for protecting these discoveries. 

Yaakov Sharvit holds the sword recovered from the Mediterranean seabed by an amateur diver.Ronen Zvulun / REUTERS

"The sword, which has been preserved in perfect condition, is a beautiful and rare find and evidently belonged to a knight of the Crusades," said in the statement Nir Distelfeld, inspector of the theft prevention unit of the Antiquities Authority of Israel.

"It is exciting to find an object so personal, that it takes you 900 years back in time to a different era, with knights, armor and swords," he added.

The blade of the sword, believed to be made of iron, measures about 40 centimeters and the hilt about 14, according to the authority.

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The antiquities body said it has been monitoring the site where the anchors and sword were found since June, but treasures in the area have remained elusive due to the movement of the sands.

The discoveries also show that the area served as a small temporary anchorage for ships seeking refuge as early as the late Bronze Age, 4,000 years ago, according to Sharvit of the marine archeology unit. 

"The recent discovery of the sword suggests that the natural cove was also used in the period of the Crusades, about 900 years ago," Sharvit added. 

Katzin received a certificate of recognition of good citizenship for reporting the sword to the Israel Antiquities Authority, which said the sword would be on public display once it had been cleaned and analyzed.

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The Holy Land has been a place of religious and historical interest for millennia, and Israeli archaeologists and private citizens often report rare and ancient discoveries.

In March, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced that a new set of Dead Sea scrolls, ancient fragments of biblical texts dating back almost 2,000 years, had been found in an Israeli desert.

It was the first such discovery in 60 years.