900 year old crusader sword discovered off coast of Israel

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A diver in Israel has discovered a rare 900-year-old Crusader sword among a collection of ancient artifacts. This massive weapon, that was once welded by a legendary Crusader knight , was found not on a historic battlefield, as those discovered to date usually are, but underwater on the seabed near a popular tourist resort in Israel. Having been lost on the seafloor for almost 1,000 years, the iconic weapon was discovered encrusted with mollusks. Nevertheless, Nir Distelfeld, an inspector for the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), said in a statement that the “Crusader sword is in perfect condition.”

The IAA have announced that Atlit diver, Shlomi Katzin, discovered the 900-year-old Crusader sword with several pottery fragments and a spying stone, as well as stone and metal anchors. The collection of ancient devices was found off Carmel beach in the popular area of Hof HaCarmel, in the city of Haifa, situated in the northern part of Israel. Times of Israel reported the sword’s finder has been given the “outstanding citizen award” for his honesty in handing in the rare and valuable ancient relic.

Katzin found the sword while diving on Saturday in an area where “waves and undercurrents had apparently shifted sand.” The sword measures one-meter (3.28 ft) in length with a 30-centimetre (0.98 ft) hilt. With a straight, double-edged blade and a single-handed cruciform hilt this style of sword emerged from the European High Middle Ages. Nir Distelfeld said the sword is “a beautiful and rare find and evidently belonged to a Crusader knight” from one of the many military orders of European Crusaders.

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