SPEARHEAD

A complete cast copper-alloy socketed side-looped spearhead dating from the early Middle Bronze Age, c. 1600-1400BC. The spearhead is complete. The blade shows slight damage along both edges but otherwise is in good condition and still relatively sharp. The damage appears to have occured post-deposition as the rest of the spear is unworn. The socket is also undamaged. The spearhead has a smooth chocolate-brown patina with sporadic patches of bright green corrosion.

The head is leaf-shaped and has a pronounced midrib. The socket is has a wide diameter compared to the overall size of the spearhead and the loops, which are flattened, are situated roughly half way along the shaft.

The spear is decorated with six or seven transverse notches between the bottom of the blade and the side loop on either side. A perimeter of triangular notches decorated the shaft opening.

Side-looped spearheads are Greenwell and Brewis' Class IV and date to the early Middle Bronze Age. They are likely to belong to the Acton Park 2, Taunton (Cemmaes) or Penard metalwork assemblages, corresponding to Needham's (1997) Period 5, c. 1500-1150BC. The spearhead was likely to have been short and similar to Savory (1980) nos. 227 - 230, which Savory argues are of Acton Park metal, although no. 228 gave an analysis suggesting Penard metal. A side-looped spearhead from the Thames at Mortlake (DoB 31) has been radio-carbon dated by Needham et al (1997) producing an early radiocarbon date of 3225+/- 65BP (OxA-5948) 1680-1400BC with a 95% confidence rating.

In Richard Davis' volume on Early and Middle Bronze Age spearheads (forthcoming) laterally notched decoration on the side of the socket is noted on 15 examples of standard side looped spearheads. These examples have a geographical weighting to Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The closest parallel (geographically) comes from Tetford Fen, Lincolnshire. The spearhead from Tetford is now in 'the Collection' (Lincoln Museum), accession number 1954.48.