A perfectly preserved Late Bronze Age sword has been discovered beneath the waters of Lake Mezzano in central Italy, adding a striking new find to one of the region’s most important submerged prehistoric settlements.

The weapon was recovered from the lake’s southern shore near Valentano, in the province of Viterbo, during ongoing underwater archaeological investigations. The area had received relatively little attention during earlier campaigns, making the discovery particularly significant.

According to the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for Viterbo and southern Etruria, the sword belongs to the “grip-tongue” type, in which the blade extends into a tang designed to receive a separate handle. It is the third sword found at Lake Mezzano since archaeological excavations began there in the 1970s.

A third sword emerges from Lake Mezzano

The new weapon was discovered during research led by the Soprintendenza’s Underwater Archaeology Service, which is continuing work aimed at documenting, preserving and protecting the prehistoric pile-dwelling settlement beneath the lake.

The growing number of weapons recovered during the latest campaigns is prompting archaeologists to reconsider their role within the settlement. Researchers have not yet provided a detailed interpretation of the newly discovered sword, but its archaeological context could help clarify how and why such objects accumulated at the site.

The depth at which metal artefacts have been found appears broadly consistent across the investigated area, supporting current ideas about the formation of the archaeological deposit. With three swords now known from Mezzano, the latest discovery is also beginning to look less like an isolated occurrence and more like part of a wider pattern.

Intact vessels, a bronze razor and an axe

The sword was recovered alongside intact ceramic vessels and other bronze objects, including a razor and an axe. Together, the finds provide a broader picture of the material culture associated with the settlement and indicate that the newly explored sector contains exceptionally well-preserved archaeological deposits.

Their condition is among the most striking aspects of the discovery. Submerged environments can sometimes protect artefacts from processes that destroy archaeological material on land, particularly when objects are rapidly covered by waterlogged sediment.

At Lake Mezzano, those conditions have preserved a substantial record of prehistoric life, allowing archaeologists to recover both metal objects and fragile archaeological contexts from beneath the lake bed.

A settlement hidden beneath the lake

Lake Mezzano lies within a volcanic landscape north of Lake Bolsena in central Italy. The submerged settlement was first identified in the early 1970s, and archaeological investigations began soon afterward.

Research conducted over subsequent decades revealed evidence of a long-lived Bronze Age community, including pottery, tools, weapons and other bronze objects. Underwater work later resumed as part of a renewed program focused on excavation, conservation and the protection of the settlement.

The current campaign is paying particular attention to sections of the lake that were not extensively explored during earlier phases of research. That strategy has now produced one of the most visually striking finds from the site: a complete Late Bronze Age sword recovered from an archaeological layer that also contained intact vessels and other bronze artefacts.

Why the growing number of weapons matters

The latest discovery may help archaeologists reassess the function of weapons at Lake Mezzano. Rather than examining individual swords and other weapons as isolated finds, researchers can increasingly consider them as part of a broader assemblage associated with the submerged settlement.

The Soprintendenza has said that the number of weapons uncovered over the last two seasons is prompting a new evaluation of their role at the site. Whether they reflect everyday ownership, deliberate deposition or another practice remains an open question that will depend on further study of their archaeological context.

Recovered from a little-explored stretch of the lake’s southern shore and preserved in exceptional condition, the new sword demonstrates that significant evidence still survives beneath Lake Mezzano more than half a century after archaeologists first began investigating the site.

Cover Image: The Bronze Age sword lying on the lakebed of Lake Mezzano, where it was documented during underwater archaeological investigations. Credit: Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti Paesaggio Etruria Meridionale