He was probably the pride of a legionnaire stationed in Germania: archaeologists have found an artistically decorated dagger with a sheath and weapon belt in Westphalia. Through elaborate restoration work, they brought the ancient splendor of the find to the fore. There is no other such well-preserved combination across Europe, say the experts.
The view focuses on the town of Haltern am See in the Münster administrative district: about 2000 years ago there was a Roman military camp there, which also included a burial area. The dead were buried there mainly in urn graves. A team of archaeologists from the Landscape Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL) and the University of Trier is dedicated to investigating the burial ground. The spectacular find was successful for 19-year-old intern Nico Calmund. To the archaeologists’ surprise, the dagger and weapon belt were not in a burial mound itself, but in the backfilling of a trench, which served as the enclosure of the grave.
“This site is therefore very unusual for a classic grave addition,” says LWL Roman expert Bettina Tremmel. How the two objects got into the trench is, according to her, unclear. “An accidental loss of the precious weapon and belt at this point seems unlikely. It would be conceivable, however, that the dagger was laid there after the burial in memory of the buried comrade – but that is pure speculation, ”said Tremmel.
A brown structure reveals its secrets
At the time of its discovery, however, the find was by no means magnificent: everything was surrounded by a thick layer of corrosion. “But it was immediately clear that the find was so good
(Photo: LWL / Josef Mühlenbrock)
had to be examined and restored as possible, ”explains LWL Culture Director Barbara Rüschoff-Parzinger. The parts were first analyzed using X-ray examinations and computer tomography. The high quality of the weapon and some material features were already evident. “From the CT images, we could see that the handle is made up of numerous individual components made of different materials that are connected with eight rivet pins. This information was of great importance for the subsequent restoration, ”says LWL restorer Eugen Müsch. In addition, the analyzes showed that the blade of the dagger was once made from different steels.
Using a combination of grinding techniques and sandblasting, Müsch meticulously removed the corrosion layers. “If you consider that the silver decorations are only 0.15 to 0.3 millimeters thick in places, it becomes clear how carefully you have to work,” says Müsch. Ultimately, however, the restorer managed to take the dagger out of its sheath without damage and to return almost all of the parts to their original appearance. “Of course, we cannot make a 2000-year-old object appear like new,” says Müsch. “But basically the appearance now largely corresponds to the former look.”
Evidence of ancient craftsmanship
The complex decorations on the handle and scabbard are particularly striking. Fine silver lines and surfaces, which are incorporated into the iron sheets, decorate the precious weapon. They result in elegant patterns of diamonds, crescents and leaves. These are so-called exchanges. In addition, the handle and scabbard adorn inserts made of red enamel and glass. The core of the dagger sheath was made of linden wood, the analyzes showed. The team describes the blade, which has a characteristic curved shape and integrated blood channels, in this version.
(Photo: LWL / Eugen Müsch)
The belt for attaching the weapon to the body also consists of numerous elements. There are still parts of the belt leather that was sewn together with flax yarn. The leather was densely covered on the outside with bronze and brass plates. They were coated with tin to give the impression of expensive silver. The belt has two hooks into which the dagger was hung using leather loops, the archaeologists report.
As you explain, the weapon is a “pugio”. This weapon was worn by Roman foot soldiers and used in close combat. Traces on the dagger show that it was apparently in use for some time. The significance of the new find lies in the combination, the scientists say: “The dagger from Haltern is one of the most important finds of its kind in Europe. The combination of the fully preserved blade, scabbard and weir belt, including the important information about the exact find, has not been compared so far, ”summarizes LWL chief archaeologist Michael Rind.
However, it will take some time before you can admire the find: From March 2022, the dagger is to be exhibited as part of the “Rome’s Flowing Borders” program in the LWL Roman Museum in Haltern.