Diver Pulls 900-Year-Old Sword From Bottom Of The Sea

This is the moment a sport diver found a 900-year-old sword at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea:

Shlomi Katzin was just off the coast of Israel on Saturday morning (16 October) when he discovered a number of ancient artefacts lying on the seabed.

Footage from his underwater camera showed ancient stone anchors, ceramic fragments and a sword about 130-centimetre long emerging from the barren seabed.

The sword is believed to be a genuine Crusader sword which was covered in barnacles and is believed to be around 900 years old.

Katzin handed over the sword to the Israel Antiquities Authority and received a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship.

According to Nir Distelfeld, the inspector of the Department of Robbery Prevention at the Israel Antiquities Authority, the sword was preserved in perfect condition and was made of iron, indicating a 900-year-old origin.

Distelfeld said: "The sword, which has been preserved in perfect condition, is a beautiful and rare find and evidently belonged to a crusader knight.

"It was found encrusted with marine organisms, but it's apparently made of iron.

"It is exciting to encounter such a personal object, taking you 900 years back in time to a different era, with knights, armour, and swords."

According to reports, the items that Mr Katzin found will go on display after being cleaned and restored - specifically the sword.

Experts believe it's only been found now thanks to shifting sands at the bottom of the ocean which have, in turn, uncovered the weapon alongside the other artefacts.

It is also been suggested that the location served as a shelter for ancient seafarers.

Kobi Sharvit, director of the authority's marine archaeology unit, said: "These conditions have attracted merchant ships down the ages, leaving behind rich archaeological finds.

"The Carmel coast contains many natural coves that provided shelter for ancient ships in a storm, and larger coves around which entire settlements and ancient port cities developed."

He continued: "The discovery of ancient finds by swimmers and leisure divers is a growing phenomenon in recent years, with the increasing popularity of these sports.

"Even the smallest storm moves the sand and reveals areas on the seabed, meanwhile burying others. It is therefore vitally important to report any such finds and we always try to document them in situ, in order to retrieve as much archaeological data as possible."