WMID-A3EDA5: WMID-A3EDA5: Middle Bronze Age: Dagger / Rapier blade fragment

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BLADE

Unique ID: WMID-A3EDA5

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation Find awaiting validation

A fragment from a cast blade, of Middle Bronze Age dating (c. 1250 BC to c. 800 BC).

The blade fragment is sub trapezoidal in plan, and sub rectangular in section. The remains of a circular rivet hole is present at the top of the fragment. The remnants of the original plan surface (concave, narrowing towards the edge) is located along the left hand side of the fragment.

The fragment measures 33.70 mm in length, 34.04 mm wide and 3.10 mm thick. It weighs 12.6 grams.

The fragment is a mid to dark green colour, with an even surface patina.

The shape of the fragment, including the original bladed edge is suggestive that this fragment may have originally been part of a dagger or a rapier. However due to the size of the fragment, this identification is only a possibility.

Comment from Peter Reavill (FLO Herefordshire & Shropshire): One edge has been broken to form a trapezoidal shape as these things normally have two rivet holes both on the upper edge in the corners. I think from the pictures one is good for the original edge - the other is happenstance and where the second hole should be is lost - or deliberately cut down for an unknown reason - it looks deliberately thinned in section - it may have been cut down to form another object - possibly a razor.

Class: dagger / rapier

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod to: Middle
Period to: BRONZE AGE
Date from: Circa 1250 BC
Date to: Circa 800 BC

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 33.7 mm
Width: 34.04 mm
Thickness: 3.1 mm
Weight: 12.6 g

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 9th September 2012

Personal details

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Materials and construction

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

Spatial metadata

Region: West Midlands (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Shropshire (Unitary Authority)
District: Shropshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Myddle and Broughton (Civil Parish)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: SJ4423
Four figure Latitude: 52.801635
Four figure longitude: -2.832069
1:25K map: SJ4423
1:10K map: SJ42SW
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
Discovery circumstances: Found whilst metal detecting

References cited

No references cited so far.

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Timeline of associated dates

Audit data

Recording Institution: WMID
Created: 11 years ago
Updated: 11 years ago

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