Archaeologists have made a rare find of four Roman swords in a desert cave near the Dead Sea, Israeli authorities said Wednesday. The weapons are said to have been found well preserved in their wooden and leather scabbards.
The swords, estimated to be 1,900 years old, are believed by researchers to have been hidden in the cave by Jewish rebels during an uprising against the Roman Empire in the 130s. Deep inside one of the deepest parts of the cave, a Roman spearhead was also found which was in almost untouched condition.
The archaeologists had returned to the cave near the desert oasis of Ein Gedi to document an inscription found there fifty years ago.
Guy Stiebel, an archaeologist at Tel Aviv University who specializes in Roman military history, told AFP that finds of such well-preserved Roman weapons are rare.
– Each of them can tell a whole story, he says.
The cool, dry and stable climate in desert caves has also previously contributed to remains from bygone times being found in exceptionally good condition, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were discovered in 1947.