Sharp 3,300-year-old bronze sword found in Italian lake — Live Science

Archaeologists have found a well-preserved bronze sword about 3,300 years old in Lake Mezzano in Italy. The weapon, dated to the Late Bronze Age — the 14th–13th centuries BC — still has a sharp blade, Live Science reports.

Discovery in a volcanic crater

Lake Mezzano is located in the crater of an ancient volcano about 100 kilometers northwest of Rome. This is the third sword of this type discovered there in the past 50 years.

During the Bronze Age, people built pile dwellings on the site of the present-day lake. During recent research, archaeologists also found parts of a submerged settlement, intact vessels, axes, arrowheads, daggers, spearheads, pins, and a bronze razor.

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The sword and bronze razor

The sword and razor were found next to each other, which may indicate their connection to a person of high social status, in particular an elite warrior. Researchers are also considering a ritual explanation for the appearance of the weapons in the lake: in the Bronze Age, valuables and deliberately bent or ritually damaged objects were often thrown into bodies of water.

In the 13th century BC, the population of Central Italy was involved in trade networks spanning the Mediterranean. A statement by the local cultural heritage protection authority noted that bronze weapons at the time were not only tools of combat, but also symbols of prestige, identity, and power. Further research of the lake is planned for the coming years.