Archaeologists unearth rare 4,000-year-old dagger that 'raises questions' in Italian cave

By Holly Kintuka, Reporter

The copper dagger discovered in Italy. (Image: Federico Bernardini via Ca’ Foscari University)

A 4,000-year-old dagger has been discovered in an Italian cave, and archaeologists say the interesting unearthing could reveal how social changes shaped Copper Age Europe. 

Excavations at the Tina Jama cave in the northeast of Italy unearthed a rare leaf-shaped copper dagger measuring under 10cm. 

Not only was the dagger found, but ceramic remains and stone artefacts dating from the second half of the third millennium BC were also uncovered during the diggings. 

Now, archaeologists from Italy's Ca' Foscari University in Venice, who are studying the artefacts with colleagues from Slovenia, say they are significant in understanding Europe's technological, cultural, and social transformations during the specific period.

They said: “The discovery of a rare copper dagger, dating back to the second half of the third millennium BC, is an exceptional event that raises questions about the use of the cave, given that such precious artefacts are generally found in sepulchral contexts.”

Multiple artefacts were found in the cave. (Image: Ca' Foscari University)

Frederico Bernardini, the excavation director, said: “[The purpose is to] clarify different aspects of the recent prehistory of the northeastern Adriatic regions, adopting a modern and rigorous approach.”

Researchers also unearthed a structure made of stone slabs and blocks, most likely used to close the entrance of the cave between 2000 BC and 1500 BC. 

The structure's purpose remains unknown, though researchers suspect it was connected to burial practices based on fragments of human skulls partly associated with it.

The ceramic materials and hearth in the cave hint that it was visited during this time by groups maintaining “close contacts” with the Dalmatian area near modern-day Croatia.

Federico Bernardini is an archaeologist from Ca’ Foscari University. (Image: Getty)

Archaeologists say that similar finds of copper daggers made in Italy have never been made before. The dagger was unearthed in a soil layer dating back to the second half of the third millennium BC.

An obsidian artefact made of volcanic glass, likely imported from southern Italy or central Europe, was also discovered. 

The various materials from different periods indicate that the cave was visited for thousands of years. According to the researchers, this makes the site "promising" for future excavation campaigns.