|
Date: |
|
Description: | The object comprises the hilt and upper blade of an iron sword (overall length 235mm). The surviving blade length below the lower guard is 109mm; the blade is straight and two-edged, with a width of 52mm at top, tapering to 47mm at the break. To judge from the other blades (80-95cm long: Evison 1967, 189, Appendix), about 75% of its original length is missing. The blade profile cannot, therefore, help determine the form and date, which is reliant on the guard and pommel.The pommel is constructed in two sections, the upper pommel cap being of broad flat, trilobate form. It is fairly wide (overall width 95mm), and the upper guard has a slight upward curvature, particularly at the ends.The lower guard, also of iron, is 104mm in width. It has a slight downward curvature, the ends being approx. 5mm lower than the centre.The pommel shares some characteristics with the group known as Petersen type L (9th-11th centuries). However, the slight curvature of the guards and the subdued , flat profile of the pommel suggests a later rather than earlier date (possibly 10th or 11th century?). The overall pointed oval form of upper and lower guard are reminiscent of those on a sword from Wheelan, Co. Kildare, Ireland (lower guard width 12.3cm; blade width 6cm; Evison 1967, Plate XII). Both are narrow with rounded surfaces, and show no signs of decoration. A further parallel from Drayton, Berkshire, now in the collections of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, shares a similar profile to the quillons/guards, but has a bronze plate resting on the top face of the lower guard (Hinton 1974, no.9).Cf also Lough Gur sword (Ellis Davidson 1962, Plate IV, no.23).The plain nature of the weapon indicates that it was purely functional. Evidence from Scotland? Petersen?Date: probably 10th or 11th century.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
Sword
The object comprises the hilt…
-
SWORD
The object comprises the hilt…
-
SWORD
Incomplete 9th century steel-bladed Viking…
-
WEAPON
Incomplete 9th century steel-bladed Viking…
-
SWORD
Medieval/ early post medieval copper…
-
SWORD
A copper-alloy sword pommel of…
-
SWORD
An Early-Medieval silver-gilt sword-ring. c.…
-
DAGGER
An incomplete late medieval to…
-
SWORD
An incomplete iron post-medieval (AD…
-
DAGGER
A complete cast copper alloy…
|