Bronze Age Dagger Blade - Rapier or Dirk - 1200 BC

[DavidBeard]

Hi All,
Got a few hours out yesterday afternoon visiting the 'Bronze Age' farm again.
After a very quiet start (only a couple of buttons in the 1st hour) a few 'recent' coins showed up - George V 1921 Florin, George VI Sixpence, etc and then this as I walked up the slope:
Bronze Age Dagger blade - Rapier or Dirk - around 1200 BC:






[youtube=425,350]TasD7BBaMMo[/youtube]

Quite possibly a votive deposit rather than it having been lost.

13cm in length, 4cm at widest part tapering to 1cm - wafer thin probably only about 3mm down central rib sloping down to nothing at the sides - weighs around 50g.

It would have had 'rivets' at the butt end attaching it to a bone or horn handle - A thrusting weapon.

A nice few hours in the sun rewarded also with £2.01 modern money towards the cold beer fund!





There's 2 more fields just been cut - hoping to get back on there next week.

[Mr Tuff]

that blade is a killer find!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MR TUFF

[{Sentinel}]

Nice find bud! Not too many people can say they've dug a dirk that old

[Tnmountains]

Fantastic. It is a Dirk or maybe have you considered spear point. The rapier was the dueling sword the Dirk the dagger so to speak. Man that is just a great find. Very thin and still looks sharp. I think that is a very rare find.
Congratulations sir !!
TnMtns

[bryguy5]

WOW.... sweet find.. banner vote bud...great job.

[Oroblanco]

Ditto to ALL the positive remarks, WOW what a great find congratulations amigo! I would have likely broken my neck trying to do a backflip if I ever found something like that! I am voting BANNER!
Oroblanco

[DavidBeard]

Fantastic. It is a Dirk or maybe have you considered spear point. The rapier was the dueling sword the Dirk the dagger so to speak. Man that is just a great find. Very thin and still looks sharp. I think that is a very rare find.
Congratulations sir !!
TnMtns

I thought it was a 'Spear Point' at first, yes (not dug one before.. perhaps I will though here) and we all thought it could be back at the farm, It wasn't until I got back home to my books that I could rule Bronze Age Spear out as these were 'Socketed' for the shaft to fit in to. The 2 'rivet' holes (remains of) gave it away.
Since had confirmation from the museum that it is a Dirk (they'll have it off me next month). Also mentioned that items like this were not usually lost but placed as a votive offering, there are some burial mounds not too far from this field.... Could be digging a body up next.. oh dear!

[DavidBeard]

that blade is a killer find!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MR TUFF

"Killer Find" indeed - I wonder how many it has been used to kill by its previous owner.

[yo6oej]

awesome blade

[CRUSADER]

Something Dad & I are yet to find, maybe never will, my Banner votes in

I will say it again, for a recently joined member to the hobby, your on fire

[DavidBeard]

...I will say it again, for a recently joined member to the hobby, your on fire ...

Thanks Crusader... More than just a hobby, its become an obsession! The Grand Piano in the corner of the room can't be seen anymore, it's now become a table for pots of finds, books, maps, internet print-outs, horns, skulls etc.. Looking more like a science museum every day. Have recently bought a SEF coil for my etrac 15" x 18" - I don't use it all of the time but on the old pasture fields its picked up things that my normal coil hasn't - still waiting for that gold coin though!

[Deepdiger60]

excellent find, as far as weapons the only to be older is stone incredible Banner for sure !! Dd60

[DavidBeard]

Gosh! I made the banner.. Yippee
Just been given 2 new fields to go in in the next village too - what a lovely day x

[Deepdiger60]

Gosh! I made the banner.. Yippee
Just been given 2 new fields to go in in the next village too - what a lovely day x

Congrats on the Banner well deserved Dd60

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Good eyes Dave, way to keep your eyes on the ground! Enjoyed your video as well.
Congratulations on making the Banner too

[umrgolf]

Hi, that's a great looking dagger blade I agree, that is A VERY deserving piece Congratulations

[Trond]

Wow fantasic find......... :P

[Unicorn]

You just mind the top of that grand piano David.....Great finds tho.....enjoyed the pictures and video.......congratulations on the banner..



U.

[DavidBeard]

...You just mind the top of that grand piano David.....
U.

Thanks Unicorn - got a thick cover over it, got to take great care of this one as a few important fingers have played on its keys, Stevie Wonder, Jools Holland, etc - do you play?

[UK_Treasure_Hunter]

The dagger is a stunning find congrats!