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Description: | Fragment of Late Bronze Age 'Saint Nazaire' type sword blade. The fragment is sub square in plan and lenticular in section. It has a rounded raised mid rid, with grooves giving definition to either side. There are a further three grooves to either side of the mid rib, to both faces of the blade. Both of the blade edges are damaged. The break edges, though not straight, are fairly even, but it is impossible to tell whether the sword was deliberately cut, perhaps for inclusion in a scrap hoard. Both break edges are worn, suggesting damage occurred in antiquity. The fragment retains the original surface which survives with a mid brown patina. Pitting and damage to the fragment has revealed mid green surfaces and corrosion. The fragment is 29.62mm long, 30.4mm wide, 7.24mm thick at the rib, 1.92mm thick at the blade edge and weighs 20.51g.The type Saint Nazaire swords are discussed in Colquhoun and Burgess, 1988, Prähistorische Bronzefunde , Abteiling IV, 5. Band, The Swords of Britain, C.H. Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, München, page 53.Here it is explained that a small number of British swords have distinctive features that compare with the Saint-Nazaire swords of France. These features include a strong central midrib curving away to the bevels, emphasises by a grooved outline, sometimes a series of lines running parallel to the blade edge. When complete, the hilt is similar to that of Wilburton swords, but the blade is straighter than is usual on this type and it is suggested that the Saint-Nazaire sword is the forerunner of the Carp's Tongue type.Colquhoun and Burgess further explain (page 54) that the origin of these swords was probably found in imported Saint-Nazaire French weapons which enjoyed a brief popularity in Britain during the late Penard phase, circa 1275-1140 BC. In Britain the Saint-Nazaire type swords are found in association with late Wilburton hoards, circa 1140-1020 BC, which often contain metalwork more appropriate to the succeeding Ewart Park phase, circa 1020-800 BC. This would date the fragment recorded here to circa 1020 BC.
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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