Roman Sword Stash

On a chance visit to a remote cave near Ein Gedi along the western shore of the Dead Sea, archaeologists hoping to photograph a fragmentary inscription on one of the cave’s stalactites happened upon a trove of beautifully preserved Roman swords. The cache includes three spatha swords, each about 2 feet long; a 17-inch ring pommel sword; and a javelin head. The swords were remarkably well preserved, with their wooden handles and scabbards found largely in-tact. Additionally, the ring pommel sword—a type of weapon that originated in eastern Europe—is the oldest example of this sword ever found in the Roman […]