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Description: | The two artefacts considered here were found in June 2006 in plough soil by Heritage Writtle about 40 metres from an archaeological excavation, as part of that archaeological investigation. The individual(s) who found the items are not recorded because in the case of potential treasure found in the course of a bona fide archaeological excavation, it is the practice to give only the name of the organisation.The socketed artefact was found on 16 June and the sword blade fragment on 21 June. The discovery was reported to the Essex Finds Liaison Officer at Colchester Museums, Caroline A. McDonald, on 1 December 2006. The finds are Treasure Number 2006 T606.Items Discovered 1. The sword blade fragment is a short length of blade weighing 11.52 grammes; the lentoid midrib is demarcated by two grooves. Analysis of the metal indicates that it is bronze. Swords like this are known as Carp's Tongue swords because the shape of the blade tip is said to resemble the tongue of that fish. Few complete Carp's Tongue swords are known in Britain. Most specimens consist of scrap fragments imported in that form from the mainland of Europe (Sealey 19915,7 with refs). They were current in the Ewart Park phase of the late Bronze Age dated c.1020-800 BC (Needham et al. 1998,93,98). 2. Analysis of the metal of the socketed artefact shows it to be brass (an alloy of copper and zinc), not bronze (an alloy of copper and tin). Brass is not found in Britain until the 2nd century BC when it was used to decorate an Iron Age sword blade from the river Thames at Isleworth (Craddock et al. 2004). It remained rare until the Roman period. This object is unidentified and undateable, but it is certainly not Bronze Age and could be well be post-medieval or modern. The Status of the Hoard as Potential Treasure The items in the hoard are of two different dates. The sword blade is late Bronze Age but the socketed artefact is much more recent, and could be modern. It is inconceivable therefore that both items were buried at the same time. Although the Bronze Age sword fragment is ancient, two or more items more than 300 years old are required for the find to qualify as Treasure (as defined in law). On this view, the 'mid-Essex' finds do not constitute Treasure.
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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