Archaeologists Discover Ancient Roman Swords Near the Dead Sea
A cache of weapons, including four Roman swords dating back 1,900 years, was found in a cave overlooking the Dead Sea. The discovery was made after scientists from Ariel University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) returned to the cave to study a stalactite featuring ancient Hebrew inscriptions, where they uncovered several related artifacts.
According to a press release from the IAA issued on September 6, this rare “weapon cache” was discovered in a cave located in the En Gedi Nature Reserve in the Judean Desert, which spans parts of present-day West Bank and Israel.
The swords found in a cave in the En Gedi Nature Reserve, Israel. (Photo: Emil Aladjem/IAA).
Cave in the archaeological area overlooking the Dead Sea. (Photo: Oriya Amichai/IAA).
As per the statement, the four swords were found in a nearly inaccessible deep crevice in the upper level of the cave.
They were exceptionally well-preserved, discovered alongside their hilts and scabbards made of leather, wood, or metal. Three of the swords were Roman spathae, with blades measuring 60-65 cm, while the fourth had a round hilt and was shorter, measuring 45 cm.
“This is an impressive and exciting discovery, touching on a specific historical moment,” said Eli Escusido, Director of the IAA.
Researchers believe that these weapons could be war trophies from the Roman army during its occupation of the Judean region.
Scientists surprised by the artifacts found. (Photo: Emil Aladjem/IAA).
The swords hidden in a deep crevice in the upper cave. (Photo: Emil Aladjem/IAA).
“The hiding of these swords in the deep crevices of the isolated cave north of En Gedi suggests that these weapons may have been war trophies from Roman soldiers or from the battlefield, hidden by Judean rebels for future use,” said Eitan Klein, Director of the Judean Desert Survey Project, describing this as an extremely rare find connected to history, as similar items have never been found in Israel.
Following the discovery of the swords, archaeologists conducted extensive excavations in the cave, uncovering artifacts from the Paleolithic period (approximately 6,000 years ago) and the Roman period (approximately 2,000 years ago).
The well-preserved swords, including scabbards. (Photo: Dafna Gazit/IAA).
Displayed artifacts. (Photo: Yoli Schwartz/IAA).
At the entrance of the cave, researchers found a copper Bar Kochba coin dating back to 132-135 CE, which is also the era identified for the swords.
This period coincides with the time of the Bar Kochba revolt by the Jews against Roman rule in Judea, led by rebel leader Simon Bar Kochba.
Scientists surprised by the discovery of the “weapon cache.”
The cave survey began in 2017, helping archaeologists discover at least 20 new caves previously unknown.
In 2021, archaeologists reported that one of the caves contained fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls that had not been previously explored.
