Diver Finds Second 900-Year-Old Sword Off Israeli Coast

Finding one 900-year-old sword on the seafloor is lucky. Finding two in the same spot might just be destiny.

Shlomi Katzin made headlines in 2021 when he discovered a four-foot iron sword covered in barnacles while diving off Israel's coast. The underwater archaeologist at the University of Haifa carefully turned the medieval weapon over to officials, never imagining he'd get a second chance at such a rare find.

But earlier this year, Katzin was swimming near Dor Beach on Israel's Mediterranean coast when he spotted something concerning. A group of divers with metal detectors was searching the seabed, and he worried they might be antiquities thieves.

After chasing them away, Katzin noticed something jutting from the sand below. It was another sword, slightly smaller at three feet long but appearing to be from the same era as his first discovery.

The University of Haifa team contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority and received permission to study the weapon. Because the sword was completely covered in marine sediment and shells, they came up with a creative solution: they ran it through a CT scanner at a nearby hospital.

The non-invasive imaging revealed fascinating details. The blade had a small fracture, and very little of the original iron had survived the centuries underwater. The sword appeared designed for one-handed use and likely came from Europe rather than being made locally.

Why This Inspires

Both swords are helping researchers understand how people lived and fought in the Mediterranean during the 12th century. The discovery shows that even after 900 years underwater, these objects still have stories to tell about the warriors who once wielded them.

The CT scanning technique also demonstrates how modern technology can unlock ancient secrets without damaging fragile artifacts. Instead of scraping away barnacles and risking destruction, researchers can now see through the encrustation to study what lies beneath.

While the swords may have belonged to European knights, historians caution against jumping to simple conclusions. The Mediterranean was a crossroads of many cultures during this period, with Christian, Muslim, and other communities all navigating these same waters for trade, travel, and conflict.

What matters most is that Katzin's vigilance in protecting the site from potential thieves allowed these remarkable artifacts to be properly preserved and studied. His second discovery reminds us that protecting our shared history today helps us better understand our past tomorrow.