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FOLDING KNIFE
Unique ID: OXON-9AB13B
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A copper alloy folding knife dating to the Roman period (2nd to 4th century AD).
The handle of the knife is in the shape of an animal, probably a lion, with a clawed foot at the terminal and a head at the blade-end of the handle. The head has well moulded features, including a rounded snout with a closed mouth, pointed-oval ears, eyes, and a beard extending from the chin. From the back of the head a hinge mechanism extends for rotating the blade. One side of the hinge is partly broken but the other side is complete and holds the remains of the hinge-pin which would have attached to the blade. Corrosion runs down the back of the handle and the remains of the blade are still present inside the handle. Incised decoration around the head give the impression of a mane.
An example with a different decorative form but the same hinge mechanism can be found in Read (2001: 87) fig. 55 no. 636.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 100
Date to: Circa AD 410
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 65 mm
Width: 28.4 mm
Thickness: 9.1 mm
Weight: 26.7 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 7th September 2020 - Tuesday 7th September 2021
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: OMS receipt 2576
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Oxfordshire (County)
District: Cherwell (District)
Parish or ward: Shipton-on-Cherwell and Thrupp (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SP4617
Four figure Latitude: 51.84970751
Four figure longitude: -1.33359487
1:25K map: SP4617
1:10K map: SP41NE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read, B. | 2001 | Metal artefacts of antiquity: A catalogue of small finds from specific areas of the United Kingdom | Langport | Portcullis Publishing |
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