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Description: | An incomplete cast copper alloy knife handle, rectangular in plan and slightly curvilinear this handle measures 45.2mm in length, 11.2mm in width and 5.4mm in thickness. The terminal end is zoomorphic and although now worn and corroded probably originally intended to represent the head and curving neck of an animal, possibly a horse. The head is rounded and measures 9mm in height, 13mm in width and 8mm in thickness, it tapers towards the snout end. There is a curving rectangular shaft projecting from the underside of the back of the head and opposite this there is an incomplete parallel curving shaft which appears to have been roughly circular in shape when complete. There is a rectangular open work space in between the two shafts. Below them there is a transverse bar and then the two shafts continue to curve gently and have a rectangular open work panel in between them as previously, but this is now completely filled with corroded iron. The base of the copper alloy handle has two transverse mouldings and there is more corroded iron below this. The iron is presumably the remains of the iron knife. This worn knife handle is very similar in style to another example found in Freckenham, Suffolk (see SF-10849). This parallel is in much better condition and more complete. It is also rectangular in shape and curvilinear and has a much clearer horse head terminal with projecting ears and bulbous eyes and incised decoration. It too has a rectangular panel below the horse head terminal through which the iron blade can be seen and the base of the handle is again decorated with transverse mouldings. R. Jackson and V. Rigby have both examined the Freckenham example and believe that it is Roman in date and would have been a handle for a iron knife blade (pers.comm 2003). It is therefore likely that this more worn example had a similar function.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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