Despite spending millennia underwater, the impressive blade is in remarkably good condition and is still exceptionally sharpSuperintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Province of Viterbo and Southern Etruria
Posted on 11/10/2026 5:12:58 AM PST by SunkenCiv
In an eerie retelling of the Arthurian legend of Excalibur, archaeologists have found a 3,300-year-old sword at the bottom of a lake.
The weapon was found during an underwater excavation at Lake Mezzano, a small volcanic lake in central Italy, where it had been submerged for millennia with its blade still sharp.
Experts believe the sword, which dates to around 1300 BC, may have been deliberately deposited as part of a ritual offering, a practice already linked to several Bronze Age European sites.
The discovery was announced by Italy's Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Province of Viterbo and Southern Etruria... The sword is the third to be found at the site in the past 50 years, reinforcing the area's reputation as an archaeological treasure trove. Experts believe the lake once contained a thriving Bronze Age village built on wooden stilts above the water... The latest dig also unearthed intact pottery and a hoard of bronze objects, including axes, daggers, spearheads and a razor. Experts were particularly struck by the sword's location next to a bronze razor, as such pairings have been found in the graves and possessions of elite Bronze Age warriors elsewhere in Europe.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.com ...
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Despite spending millennia underwater, the impressive blade is in remarkably good condition and is still exceptionally sharpSuperintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Province of Viterbo and Southern Etruria
Thanks for the link!
Is that the 3300 yr old blade newly discovered?
And it’s still sharp. Now, that is good quality!
Only thing is, there is no way I would be handling such a blade with my bare hands. Who knows what kind of organisms and aomeba are now colonized on the surface?
Just shows how effective those Bronze Age weapons are!
Were. The age is over.
Are. The sword still exists.
“I’ve never seen its equal.”
“Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.”
I would love to see the metallurgy report on the composition of ingredients used to forge the metal. No rust, no pitting, did the metal come from space?
Definitely not made in China.
Sure, but I make it a point to not tick off moistened bints.
Bronze is largely copper and tin. Sez here it forms an oxide layer when submerged in fresh water which keeps it nice.
Strange, the Lady of the Lake wasn’t about to give it to anyone. She must have got her feelings hurt from that criticism.
Thanks, SunkenCiv!
Tragic boating accidents that claim valuable weapons have a long history.
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