2,000-year-old Roman gladiator knife handle on display

Two divers found this rare, well-preserved knife handle in 1997 in the River Tyne at Corbridge, near Hadrian's Wall, a 73-mile-long wall built by the Romans to protect the northern boundary of the empire.

2,000-year-old Roman knife handle

According to English Heritage, the bronze alloy handle, which was part of a folding knife, may have been used as a souvenir, reflecting the celebrity status that gladiators enjoyed when they fought in the arena for the entertainment of the public.

“This beautifully crafted knife handle is a testament to how widespread this culture was, extending all the way to Hadrian’s Wall on the edge of the Roman Empire,” said archaeologist Frances McIntosh.

Some two millennia later, the appeal remains, especially as the sequel to the Gladiator movie hits theaters on November 14.

The handle is made of copper alloy, which is part of the folding knife.

This is the second Roman knife handle found in Britain, showing that the gladiator was left-handed, these muscular fighters fought with short swords and heavy shields.

It was unusual for gladiators to be left-handed because the Romans considered it unlucky, so much so that the Latin word for "left" - "haunting" - implies trickery or malice, McIntosh said.

"That means this knife handle could depict a real, specific gladiator," said McIntosh, curator of English Heritage's Hadrian's Wall and North East Collections.

Other objects found in Britain include glass jars containing perfume and saffron-infused water to sprinkle on spectators, and a piece of glass with a drawing of a leopard, believed to depict a hunting scene.

The knife handle will be displayed at the Roman site of Corbridge (UK) in 2025.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/trung-bay-can-dao-2000-nam-tuoi-cua-dau-si-la-ma-185241115080617425.htm