Divers Discover 3,000-Year-Old Bronze Sword in Italian Lake

Underwater archaeologists have uncovered a bronze sword over 3,000 years old in a volcanic lake in Italy. The sword, dating back to the 13th century BC, was found in Lago di Mezzano, a crater lake located in the municipality of Valentano in the Viterbo province of the Lazio region. According to the scientific magazine science.de, the weapon was hidden at the bottom of the lake. Italian media, including Finestre sull’Arte, reported that the sword was recovered from the southern shore of the lake.

The recovery was part of national archaeological investigations led by Margherita Eichberg from the local heritage authority. The researchers were supported by specialized divers from the Carabinieri (Nucleo Carabinieri Subacquei di Roma) and expert restorers.

The excellent preservation of metal weapons for thousands of years is primarily due to the oxygen-free environment in the fine lake sediment. Similar conservation conditions have led to spectacular discoveries in Germany, such as an ancient sword found vertically embedded in the deposits of a former water body during construction work in Bremen.

The sword recovered from Lago di Mezzano is typologically classified as a tongue sword from the late Bronze Age. Nearby, divers also found additional artifacts from the late Bronze Age culture, including a bronze razor, several axes, arrow and spearheads, daggers, needles, and vessels.

It is known from various regions in Europe that inland waters served as ritual sites during that time. Valuable prestige objects were often deliberately submerged; archaeological finds of prehistoric sacrificial axes in inland lakes attest to the widespread practice of depositing cult weapons.

Around 4,000 to 2,200 years ago, a large pile-dwelling settlement existed on the shores of Lake Mezzano. The sword recovered is only the third of its kind discovered at this location since the 1970s.

Based on the finds, particularly the combination with the razor, archaeologists believe that the weapon once belonged to a high-ranking warrior. The researchers suspect it was ritually buried in the lake as an offering. After initial conservation work by restorers, the rare bronze sword will be presented to the public in a future exhibition.