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.
” More on ancient discoveries 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 associated to it. The cave's hearth an.
