KNIFE

An incomplete Medieval ivory knife handle. The handle consists of a rectangular section, which tapers to the grip, and a circular terminal at the widest end. The handle has a squared section. The handle is broken towards the blade end, all that is left of the blade is a fragment of iron protruding from the circular ivory terminal. The object is decorated with dots and a double linear engraving running around the edges of the rectangular section. The dots form diamonds running up the centre of the handle, with a much large diamond in the circular terminal formed of four large dots with smaller dots connecting them. There is also a border of dots around the edge of the circular terminal. The pattern is repeated on both sides. The handle has a dark brown pattination across the surface. Where the handle has broken the finder attempted to repair it, with traces of the glue visible at the broken end.

There are no direct parallels for this example, but there is a similarly shaped knife handle in MacGregor (1985, Fig. 88u) which is Medieval in date.

Dimensions: length: 45.64 mm; width: 14.49 mm; thickness: 7.85 mm; weight: 7.14g.

Reference: MacGregor, A. 1985. Bone, Antler, Ivory and Horn. The Technology of Skeletal Materials since the Roman Period. Croom Helm, London and Sydney.