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KNIFE
Unique ID: CORN-EE23E2
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Cast copper alloy knife handle with a bird head finial and a pattern of tears or drops of blood running down the body of the tang. The tears are recessed and defined by rows of linear impressed ovals and dots, which give the surface a texture. The surface is now quite corroded but was probably once lacquered. These tear-shaped motifs are often used in heraldic contexts, and the knife may have been more ornamental, rather than functional, and possibly part of a marriage pair, with a matching handle for the other spouse (Geoff Egan pers comm).
Griffiths, Philpott and Egan (2007) illustrate similar handles with cockerel finials and scaled tangs on page 171, Plate 32, Nos. 2152-3, which are dated to the 16th century.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1500
Date to: AD 1600
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 69 mm
Width: 11 mm
Thickness: 4 mm
Weight: 10.79 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 4th October 2009 - Sunday 4th October 2009
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: South West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
District: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Tywardreath and Par (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SX0954
Four figure Latitude: 50.35485
Four figure longitude: -4.686371
1:25K map: SX0954
1:10K map: SX04SE
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griffiths, D., Philpott. R. and Egan, G. | 2007 | Meols: The Archaeology of the North West Wirral Coast | Oxford | Oxford University School of Archaeology | 171, Plate 32, | Nos. 2152-3 |
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Timeline of associated dates
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