SPEARHEAD

Late Bronze Age socketed spearhead of Davis' (2015) Type 11A, which covers Generic pegged spearheads with flame-shaped blades, dating to the Wilburton or Ewart Park metalworking industry (c.1120-800 BC) (following Needham et al. 1997).

The spearhead is complete and retains the sediment in the socket (with a length of 159mm and with a weight of 144.7g, including sediment and 126.2g without). The socket is near-circular (with a diameter of 27.9mm - 28.6mm, 25.4mm internal and 110.1mm deep). There is no evidence for a lip at the mouth or decoration around the socket. The sides of the circular socket are conical, gradually converging to the tip and define a rounded midrib along the blade. Approximately midway between the mouth and the start of the blade are the sub-circular attachment holes (of 7.2mm and 7.8mm diameter), which are raised or burred on the interior of the socket. The casting seams are evident on both sides but have been neatly fettled and mostly removed but with a discernible ridge surviving. The blade is leaf-shaped and reaches its maximum width approximately one-third of the blade length (with a length of 114mm and a maximum width of 38.3mm). The blade facets are evident and mostly survive (with a length of 4mm and a thickness of 0.6mm). There is the suggestion of some striations running along the blade facets, possibly the result of sharpening. There are striations evident inside the socket (7mm from the mouth). The surface has a dark-brown patina with some areas of pale-brown and green surface loss.

The sediment was removed from the socket in the museum and contained root material but no discernible surviving wooden shaft. A void was observed immediately above the peg holes.

Spearheads of pegged type have been shown to date from Wilburton metalwork, dated from 1150BC, the majority of associated spearheads are found with Ewart Park metalwork (950 - 750BC).