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BLADE

Unique ID: NMGW3162

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Published

Cast copper alloy leaf-shaped two-edged blade (length 63mm, width 19mm, thickness 2mm, weight 7.9 grams).The edges are slightly bevelled and the blade has a very slight but relatively wide midrib. One end of the blade apparently tapers into a tang which is now largely missing. The blade is in poor condition, its tip is bent and its edges are badly damaged and notched. This damage makes it difficult to evaluate whether the apparent tang is a genuine feature or simply a fortuitous break. The blade may possibly be an example of a rare type of Early to Middle Bronze Age knife known as a Class I or 'plantain razor' (Piggott 1946, 122-126, fig.5). The term 'razor' is a slight misnomer as these artefacts were almost certainly not used specifically for shaving but were rather some form of cutting tool. Unfortunately, the tang is the most diagnostic part of this artefact type and without it a positive identification is difficult.

Notes:

This record was created before the Portable Antiquities Scheme began using the Central Database. We are aware that this record may fall below our usual standards of recording, and we are working to rectify this.

Subsequent actions

Current location of find: returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: BRONZE AGE
Period from: BRONZE AGE
Date from: 2500 BC
Date to: 700 BC

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 63 mm
Width: 19 mm
Thickness: 2 mm
Weight: 7.9 g

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Friday 1st October 1999

Personal details

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Other reference numbers

Other reference: NMGWPA: 99.95.1

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete

Spatial metadata

Region: South East (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: West Berkshire (Unitary Authority)
District: West Berkshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Leckhampstead (Civil Parish)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: SU4577
Four figure Latitude: 51.490164
Four figure longitude: -1.353251
1:25K map: SU4577
1:10K map: SU47NE
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1000 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
Current location: returned to finder
General landuse: Other
Specific landuse: Unknown

References cited

Author	Publication Year	Title	Publication Place	Publisher	Pages	Reference
Piggott, C.M.	1946	The Late Bronze Age razors of the British Isles

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Timeline of associated dates

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Audit data

Recording Institution: NMGW
Created: 22 years ago
Updated: 13 years ago

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