ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered a 4,000-year-old dagger in Italy and said it might give great inside into Copper Age Europe.
The rare leaf-shaped copper dagger measures just under 10cm and was found in the Tina Jama Cave, near the northern town of Trieste.
The excavations also unearthed stone artefacts and ceramic remnants from the second half of the third millennium BC.
Now, archaeologists from Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, who are examining the artefacts alongside colleagues from Slovenia, think they are important for comprehending the social, cultural, and technological changes that occurred in Europe at that time.
Elena Leghissa, of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences, said: “The discovery of a rare copper dagger is an exceptional event that raises questions about the use of the cave, given that such precious artefacts are generally found in sepulchral contexts.”
Frederico Bernardini, the excavation director, added: “[The purpose is to] clarify different aspects of the recent prehistory of the northeastern Adriatic regions, adopting a modern and rigorous approach.”
Researchers also discovered a construction composed of blocks and slabs of stone dated between 2000 BC and 1500 BC, that was probably intended to seal off the cave’s entrance.
Although the purpose of the structure is unknown, scientists believe it was related to burial customs because of pieces of human skulls that have been partially ᴀssociated to it.
The cave’s hearth and ceramic artefacts suggest that groups with “close contacts” to the Dalmatian region near present-day Croatia visited there during this time.
The researchers also discovered flint arrowheads, long blades fashioned from the same material using pressure techniques, polished stone axes, obsidian, and shell ornaments.
“This evidence suggests that the cave has been visited for thousands of years and is promising for future excavation efforts,” they concluded.
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It comes after a 4,000-year-old settlement was discovered tucked away in a Saudi Arabian oasis.
The Bronze Age town, which is believed to have housed roughly 500 residents, sheds light on ancient societies transitioning from a nomadic lifestyle to a more urban one.
