Archaeologists have recovered an exceptionally well-preserved sword, about 3,300 years old, from the bottom of Lake Mezzano in Italy. Although it has lain there for more than three millennia, its blade remains very sharp.
The weapon, dating to around 1300 BC, was discovered during an underwater archaeological exploration of the small volcanic lake. The discovery was announced by the Italian Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Province of Viterbo and Southern Etruria, according to the Daily Mail.
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Archaeologists believe the sword may have been deliberately thrown into the lake as a ritual offering. Similar practices have been documented at several European Bronze Age sites.
In a statement, the institution said the object’s excellent condition and still-sharp blade make an important contribution to understanding the communities that used the lake basin more than 3,000 years ago. It said the sword’s features are consistent with weapons produced in central Italy during the Late Bronze Age and attest to the specialized metalworking skills of the time.
This is the third sword found in the area over the past 50 years, underscoring its archaeological importance. According to experts, a thriving Bronze Age settlement once stood there, built over the water on wooden stilts. The latest excavation also uncovered intact pottery and a collection of bronze objects, including axes, daggers, spearheads and a razor.
Researchers were particularly struck by the sword’s proximity to a bronze razor. Elsewhere in Europe, such combinations have been found in graves and among the personal belongings of elite Bronze Age warriors. Experts noted that bronze weapons were not used only for combat; they also represented prestige, identity and power.
