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Amateur Metal Detectorist Finds 2000-Year-Old Roman Dagger in Switzerland, Led to Discovery of 'Lost' Battlefield

Archeologists view this site as crucial for Roman history because of the number of items they found there.
PUBLISHED DEC 2, 2024
Roman dagger found in Switzerland (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Photo by Kanton Graubünden)
Roman dagger found in Switzerland (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Photo by Kanton Graubünden)

An amateur archeologist stunned everyone in 2019 by finding a piece of Roman history in Switzerland. Lucas Schmid, then a dental student and history aficionado, discovered an ornate dagger near the mountain village of Tiefencastel, Live Science reported.

Analysis revealed that the dagger was wielded by a Roman soldier during an ancient battle in what is now Switzerland. The dagger was dated back to 2000 years by experts, who believe, it was possibly buried by the soldier as a token of thanks to God, for victory in the war.

Into The Heat of Battle, from my Roman Army Series - stock photo (Image Source: Getty Images/Photo by standby)
A Roman army (Representative Image Source: Getty Images/Photo by standby)

According to researchers, the battle in which the dagger could have been used took place in 15 B.C.E., Smithsonian Magazine reported. It was a clash between Roman troops and  Rhaetian tribesmen, with the former trying to capture the latter's territories. Romans eventually won in the scuffle. 

Daggers like the one unearthed by Schmid were used as weapons during 15 B.C.E. Researchers further added that the dagger was called pugio and used to be composed of several metals. The amateur archeologist was surveying the site with a metal detector when he stumbled on the dagger.

The dagger was found on the battlefield where the fight between Romans and Rhaetian tribesmen took place. The site was rediscovered in the 2000s and went through multiple excavations.

Still, Schmid felt that the exploration was not all done, and more things were still left to be located. He was moving around in the area with a metal detector in his hand when he received a signal. The dental student focused on the spot from where the signal was coming and began digging. After 12 inches of digging, he had the majestic weapon in his hands.



 

Though Schmid had a gut feeling that some items were still out there, he did not expect to find such an important one buried inside a hole, Live Science reported.  "I did not expect to find such an important item at this rather unlikely place," he stated.

As per experts, the Roman dagger was uncovered in good condition, Smithsonian Magazine reported. The ornate patterns were clear, and it was found to be inlaid with silver and brass. Schmid reported the discovery to the Archaeological Service of Graubünden (ADG) which decided to begin more excavations in the area. 



 

The organization's efforts led to the discovery of both Roman and Rhaetian artifacts from the site, Smithsonian Magazine reported. Some of the items they managed to unearth include Roman slingshots, horseshoe nails, coins, and parts of shields. The team also came across what they believed to be fragments of Rhaetian swords, shields, and spearheads. All of these objects were put on display for the first time at the Archaeological Service of Graubünden (ADG).  

The archeologists view this site as crucial in terms of Roman history because of the sheer number of items they have managed to find from there.

"It is not only the outstanding individual objects such as the dagger ... that are interesting, but also the large number and composition of the found objects,” Peter-Andrew Schwarz, an archaeologist at the University of Basel stated. ADG's exploration of the site is still ongoing, and Schmid who kickstarted all of this continues to contribute as a volunteer.

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