KNIFE

An incomplete zoomorphic copper alloy knife handle terminal of probable Roman date (AD 43-410). The object depicts some billed creature, most likely a duck. The neck is ovoid in cross section at its narrowest point (8.9mm long, 8.5mm wide) and expands forwards at the basal break. The neck appears to be at least partially hollow, and contains a rectangular sectioned rod of copper alloy, presumably the tang (if the blade was copper alloy) or part of the now missing knife handle. The head is separated from the neck by a ridged moulding around the base of the head. The head itself is roughly spherical with the bill projecting outwards at slightly over a ninety-degree angle. The top of the head has two unevenly symmetrical depressions depicting the eyes, one of which has a cut descending 7mm from the base of the eye. The mouth is represented by a horizontal V-sectioned notch in the end of the bill.

The object has suffered from corrosion and physical damage, with much of the original surface missing and the rest patinated dark green, leaving the object with an uneven, pitted surface.

There are currently no examples of roman knife handles depicting ducks in this manner on the PAS database, the best parallel being the horse-shaped WILT-5D7883. Post medieval knife handle terminals can also be zoomorphic but are of markedly different forms to this object.