The Oldest Crucible Steel Blade in Eastern Europe - early 13th Century
 

Interesting read...
would be nice to know what kind of crucible steel it is, and to see the wootz pattern:)...

Archaeologists have discovered an incredibly rare, advanced weapon, and they found it by accident.

A Russian archaeological team was studying a sabre that was discovered seven years ago in Yaroslavl. They were only conducting a routine examination, but closer inspection revealed that the sabre was actually the oldest crucible steel weapon found in eastern Europe.

Asya Engovatova, who led the research, said in a STATEMENT that the discovery was "highly unexpected," since the sabre had already been on display at a local museum for seven years. In 2007, Engovatova's team found the weapon at a mass grave site for civilians killed in a massacre in 1238. The site also yielded skeletons and household items, including dishes and jewelry.

Analysis of the sabre revealed that it was a sword made from crucible steel, a rare and expensive material. The archaeologists believe the sabre could have belonged to a wealthy warrior from the army of Batu Khan, who led the 1238 invasion. They also believe the sabre was burned during a ritual before it was buried. There's still much for historians to explore about the weapon, but for now, the sabre has returned to its display at the Yaroslavl Museum.

IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH BUT IT PUSHES BACK THE EARLIEST KNOWN DATE. PERHAPS IT CAN ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS OR GIVE A FEW CLUES AS TO WHERE AND WHEN IT WAS MADE AND LEAD TO MORE DISCOVERIES AND ANSWERS. :cool: WHO KNOWS HOW MANY IMPORTANT ITEMS SIT NEGLECTED IN MUSEUMS AND CHURCH COLLECTIONS AND WHAT SECRETS THEY MAY REVEAL WHEN AND IF THEY ARE STUDIED BY TODAY'S EXPERTS AND TECHNOLOGY.

Whether it's the earliest depends on where you draw the borders for Eastern Europe. Specifically, the border between Europe and Asia. If you're willing to go as far East as the the north Caucasus, there is a 4th century Alan blade from Kislovodsk, and other early crucible steel weapons from the area.

There are also the crucible steel Ulfberht swords, some of which were found in what is without doubt Eastern Europe. While not as old as the Alan sword noted above, they are older than the 1238 dating of this sabre.

I also have vague memories of early crucible steel swords from Ukraine.

(For the Alan sword, see Ann Feuerbach's thesis, http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1317704/ )