Rights Holder: Suffolk County Council
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
SWORD
Unique ID: SF-885347
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A fragment of a middle Bronze Age dirk or rapier. Only the upper part of the blade and the lower part of the butt survive. The blade has a slightly rounded mid-section, curving outwards gently into flattened edges with no pronounced ridge, forming a rounded lozenge shape in cross-section. The shoulders are damaged and the original form of the butt is unclear, but the edges of two circular holes for attaching the hilt can be seen in the break. The object is highly corroded with damage and pitting on both faces and around the edges, but the remains of a dark brown-orange patina can be seen on both faces.
The slightly rounded mid-section and absence of ridges suggests that the fragment may come from a Type IV blade, dating to c.1400 - 1150 BC (O'Connor 1980). Concentrations of this type are found around the Thames and in East Anglia.
Length: 84.85mm, width: 40.95mm, thickness: 6.02mm, weight: 64.47g
Class: Type IV
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
Period from: BRONZE AGE
Period to: BRONZE AGE
Date from: Circa 1400 BC
Date to: Circa 1150 BC
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 84.85 mm
Width: 40.95 mm
Thickness: 6.02 mm
Weight: 64.47 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 1st September 2015
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Fragment
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Suffolk (County)
District: Mid Suffolk (District)
To be known as: Bacton
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O'Connor, B. | 1980 | Cross-Channel Relations in the Later Bronze Age | Oxford | British Archaeological Reports 91 |
Similar objects
Find number: SF-3E1D3C
Object type: SWORD
Broadperiod: BRONZE AGE
A fragment of a middle Bronze Age (Taunton/Penard Phase) dirk or rapier in two pieces. Only the inner part of the blade and a section of …
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: ESS-5DF6D2
Object type: HOARD
Broadperiod: BRONZE AGE
Description: A hoard of 9 cast copper alloy bronze age metalwork pieces. Most of the pieces are fragmentary remains of 8 - 11 rapiers of both…
Workflow: Published
Find number: NMGW-4811C9
Object type: DIRK
Broadperiod: BRONZE AGE
Late Bronze Age dirk of Penard or Wallington metalworking Industry, dated to c. 1300 - 1000BC
The cast dirk is complete but now distorted …
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618