Rights Holder: North Lincolnshire Museum
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Unique ID: NLM-739C96
Object type certainty: Possibly
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Iron possible scythe fragment. A wrought iron blade with straight parallel sides and a curved end where back meets cutting edge. At the proximal end a concavo-convex ridge of maximum width 23mm tapers for a length of 100mm, indicating an open a socket for fixing the blade to a separate protruding part of the haft. The object is broken neatly at the wider end of this feature, though for 33mm inwards from the broken end there are indications that the sides of the iron plate had been bent sharply inwards, again presumably to grip the haft. The further end of the cutting edge is slightly worn by whetting, but this is the only place which approaches the V-shape which is diagnostic of a blade. The condition of the object is excellent, and the mass indicates good survival of the metal core, features which, for a ferrous metal object, should both point to a relatively recent date. However, the straight short broad blade appearing here is a feature of a Middle to Late Saxon scythe blade from Cottam, East Riding of Yorkshire, where there was a short angled solid tang at the proximal end (Haldenby, D. 1994, 'Further Saxon finds from the Yorkshire Wolds', in Medieval Archaeology 66, 51-58, pl. 1). Suggested date: possibly Early Medieval, 800-1000
Length: 270mm, Width: 45.8mm, Thickness: 3.9mm, Weight: c. 310gms
Notes:
The only way an ancient iron object could now be discovered in such pristine condition would be through very recent disturbance from a sealed context. The deposit of ironwork hoards, usually comprising craft or agricultural ironmongery, was a feature of the Middle Saxon to Anglo-Scandinavian periods in particular, and offers a mechanism by which this may have come about. It must, however, be acknowledged that the excellent condition may qualify this happy presumption, and it may be a much more recent tool fragment. The finder asserts the object was recovered from an unusual depth. The object is considered a 'find of note' if only to elicit better informed comment. Observing the record as presented to date, Dr Kevin Leahy kindly comments: 'I am somewhat worried by this find, I can't see any sign of the fibrous structure that typifies wrought iron as opposed to mild steel and I'd like to see the section. While the blade has a similar shape to that of an Early Medieval scythe in the absence of the typical bent tang attachment point I'd be cautious about it'.
This is a find of note and has been designated: County / local importance
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 800
Date to: Circa AD 1000
Quantity: 1
Length: 270 mm
Width: 45.8 mm
Thickness: 3.9 mm
Weight: 310 g
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 11th September 2017
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Other reference: NLM41282
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.