Metal Detectorist Finds 2,000-Year-Old Roman Dagger From Ancient ‘Lost’ Battle in Switzerland

Metal Detectorist Finds 2,000-Year-Old Roman Dagger From Ancient ‘Lost’ Battle in Switzerland
Courtesy of Archaeological Service Graubünden via Peter-Andrew Schwarz
Michael Wing
Updated:

Amateur archaeologist Lucas Schmid toted his metal detector onto a small hill beside a river gorge near the mountain village of Tiefencastel, Switzerland, and began probing the turf where an ancient battle had taken place. He would soon discover a Roman dagger from under the earth, which would lead to a remarkable excavation.

Rumor had it that a “lost” battle between the Romans and the Rhaetians had occurred here some 2,000 years ago—for archeological excavations in 2003 had yielded traces of an ancient Roman army nearby, most of which it was assumed had been collected.

Michael Wing
Michael Wing
Editor and Writer
Michael Wing is a writer and editor based in Calgary, Canada, where he was born and educated in the arts. He writes mainly on culture, human interest, and trending news.
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