5,000-year-old Anatolian sword discovered

[Still Waters]

One of the oldest swords in the world that was mislabelled in a museum on the Saint Lazarus Island, Venice, is around 5,000 years old, according to a new study. 

The ultra-rare sword, which doesn’t resemble most ancient weapons in the world, was made around the year 3000BC and came from eastern Turkey.

However, the sword was contained in a cabinet as part of a medieval collection.

It was only when a local PhD student and expert in ancient weaponry noticed the sword that it was removed for further analysis to pinpoint its date.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8055409/The-worlds-oldest-weapon-5-000-year-old-Anatolian-sword-discovered-Armenian-Monastery-Venice.html

[+Not A Rockstar]

That is really beautiful work.

Shame tho how overloaded with ads the dailymail is so it freezes the page halfway in loading. 

[hetrodoxly]

It looks like a bronze age dagger.

[jaylemurph]

Here’s a virtual round for all the hard-working, un-sung heroes who are PhD candidates. 
 

Otherwise known as PhCs. 

—Jaylemurph 

[WanderingFool0]

Reminds me of a roman Gladius sort of. Very interesting anyway.

[+DieChecker]

I didnt even know they were making swords 5000 years ago. This would have still been pretty early in the Bronze Age, right? The hilt looks pretty developed for an early attempt, with an enlarged pommel and a bit of a cross guard.

Edited March 5, 2020 by DieChecker

[Wreck7]

Here's a link to a good picture

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Lazzaro-sword.jpg

[+DieChecker]

I does appear to be pretty small.

What is that? About a 9, 10, inch long blade?

 

[Myles]

4 hours ago, DieChecker said:

I does appear to be pretty small.

What is that? About a 9, 10, inch long blade?

 

I had to try to search the definition of sword.   All I found regarding length was the word "long".    It does seem like they are using the word sword pretty loosely.  

It says "up to 5000 years old" which makes me wonder what the under is.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Myles

[SHaYap]

In a world where metal blades were rare and the average size of people were far smaller, that's a respectable enough blade for a sword... 

~

[Festina]

4 hours ago, Myles said:

I had to try to search the definition of sword.   All I found regarding length was the word "long".    It does seem like they are using the word sword pretty loosely.  

It says "up to 5000 years old" which makes me wonder what the under is.

My thoughts too so I looked it up.   Looks more like long dagger, but no I’m no expert.  If it is a Sword perhaps it was made for a very small person.  

http://www.differencebetween.net/object/difference-between-sword-and-dagger/

 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by Festina

[Piney]

On 3/5/2020 at 1:09 PM, DieChecker said:

I didnt even know they were making swords 5000 years ago. This would have still been pretty early in the Bronze Age, right? The hilt looks pretty developed for an early attempt, with an enlarged pommel and a bit of a cross guard.

Yup, right on the Northern border of Anatolia. 

Probably Maykop Culture (Proto-Indo Iranians?) and looks like it was the basis for the acinaces and other IE straight swords. We discussed it earlier in Kmt Sesh's "Let's Talk History" thread. 

Now that one is outside of Turkey it's real providence might be determined without all the attached Turanism crap. 

[jaylemurph]

On 3/6/2020 at 4:39 AM, third_eye said:

In a world where metal blades were rare and the average size of people were far smaller, that's a respectable enough blade for a sword... 

~

People weren’t that much smaller in the distant past. That’s a myth, perpetuated by quirks of architecture, mostly. People only really lost height during the mass move to cramped, dirty, sickly urban areas after the Renaissance. 

—Jaylemurph 

[SHaYap]

1 hour ago, jaylemurph said:

People weren’t that much smaller in the distant past. That’s a myth, perpetuated by quirks of architecture, mostly. People only really lost height during the mass move to cramped, dirty, sickly urban areas after the Renaissance. 

—Jaylemurph 

Myth? 

On average Asian and North Africa measures on the smaller side of the average physique, even today.... 

~

[jaylemurph]

Let’s see the data! Current and long-term coverage of past heights over the past few millennia. I’m short on time now, but here’s some other thinking on the issue:

https://www.quora.com/Were-ancient-people-shorter-than-modern-people
 

—Jaylemurph 

[Jon the frog]

On 2/28/2020 at 7:58 PM, hetrodoxly said:

It looks like a bronze age dagger.

What's the minimum length for a sword ? At this rate a tooth pick can be a sword ? Old Bronze sword are not long... but damn this one is shorter than my hunting knife!

Edited March 8, 2020 by Jon the frog

[Jon the frog]

On 3/6/2020 at 7:39 AM, third_eye said:

In a world where metal blades were rare and the average size of people were far smaller, that's a respectable enough blade for a sword... 

~

A good sword for Hobbit !

[Festina]

On 3/7/2020 at 3:25 PM, jaylemurph said:

People weren’t that much smaller in the distant past. That’s a myth, perpetuated by quirks of architecture, mostly. People only really lost height during the mass move to cramped, dirty, sickly urban areas after the Renaissance. 

—Jaylemurph 

Children and many women were...grim thought but something to consider.   

Edited March 8, 2020 by Festina

[jaylemurph]

56 minutes ago, Festina said:

Children and many women were...grim thought but something to consider.   

I fully concede that children were, and indeed are, smaller than average adults. 

—Jaylemurph

[Robotic Jew]

On 3/6/2020 at 2:57 AM, DieChecker said:

I does appear to be pretty small.

What is that? About a 9, 10, inch long blade?

 

Maybe that guy was in charge of measuring and he had to pretend inches were bigger because of previous convos with that lady?