NEWSAntiquities Authority (IAA)
enough so that they could
draw some conclusions.
About 10 similar swords
have been recovered from Is-
rael’s Carmel coast, but this
most recent find appears to
be the best preserved. To the
excitement of IAA archae-
ologists, an initial x-ray has
revealed a completely intact
handle and iron blade. TheyS
hifting sands in the
Mediterranean Sea
unveiled a surprise for
a recreational diver in
October 2021. Shlomi Katzin
spotted a sword on the seabed
near his hometown of Atlit, on
northern Israel’s Carmel coast.
Despite being encrusted in
shells and other marine detri-
tus, the shape of the weapon
told experts from the IsraelMedieval Sword Surprises
Diver Off Israel’s Shores
A well-preserved weapon lay for centuries on the seafloor near the
Carmel coast. Could it be connected to the crusaders?UNDERWATER WEAPON6 MAY/JUNE 2022
ISRAEL
Sea of
GalileeMediterraneanSea LEB.JOR.Acre
Haifa
AtlitWEST
BANKISRAEL’S Carmel
coast is rich in sites
from the time of the
Crusades, including
Atlit Fortress. The
ancient city of Acre
was the crusaders’
principal port during
the kingdom of Jeru-
salem, which lasted
from 1099 until 1291.ENCRUSTED WITH MARINE LIFE,
THE ATLIT SWORD HAS BEEN
SCANNED TO REVEAL ITS SECRETS.
THE NEXT STEPS WILL INCLUDE
INTENSIVE CLEANING AND
PRESERVATION.
ARIEL SCHALIT/APSWORDS USED
BY EUROPEAN
CRUSADERS
HAD POMMELS,
AS SHOWN IN
A CIRCA 1250
ILLUSTRATION FROM
THE WESTMINSTER
PSALTER. BRITISH
LIBRARY, LONDON
BRITISH LIBRARY/ BRIDGEMAN