1884.119.296

Collection type

Object

Description

The lower part of a large oval-sectioned socketed bronze dagger.

Geographical reference

Ireland, Republic of

Europe > Northern Europe > Ireland, Republic of

"Ireland": ie Ireland or Northern Ireland (UK)

Person

Maker Unknown Maker

Field collector Unknown Collector

PRM source Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection

Date / Period

Archaeological period: Late Bronze Age

Date collected

By 1874

Acquisition information

Donated: 1884

Materials and processes

Material Bronze Metal, Material Copper Alloy Metal, Process Cast, Process Socketed, Process Perforated

Dimensions

Length x Width x Height: max 127 x 33 x 21 mm, Weight 117 g

Object numbers

Accession number: 1884.119.296 PR Cat other PR nos: 2609

Research and responses

NB no provenance given in Accession Book, location above comes from Allen, Britton and Coghlan, Occ Paper on Tech, 10.

Pitt Rivers was in Ireland [serving in the Army] from 1862-66, this object may have been obtained during this period [Bowden, 1991: 60-4] Note that there is an entry in the 'Green book' for two 'bronze daggers forgeries'. These cannot be matched at the present time as there is insufficient information but no daggers are currently identifed as being reproductions. Any of the bronze daggers in the existing catalogue may therefore be reproductions [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

Associated publications

Allen, I.M., Britton, D., and Coghlan, H.H., 1970, 'Metallurgical Reports on British and Irish Bronze Age Implements in the Pitt Rivers Museum', Occasional Papers on Technology 10, Oxford University Press, Oxford. [CMP 09/08/2010] p 215 - Socketed knife, socket waisted with groove near mouth, faces convex, sides nearly flat, pair of peg holes in sides, traces of casting seam along each side. Lower part of blade broken off, upper part has sides concave in outline, pointed oval in cross section, edges distinctly bevelled and sharpened, surfaces smooth and fairly well preserved. - Sn 6.624%, Pb 3.942%, As<0.1%, Sb 0.12%, Ni 0.075%, Bi<0.004%, Fe 0.03%, Ag 0.069%, Mg<0.005%. This analysis confirms this object is a bronze alloy. Metallographic examination showed evidence of a lead particles concentrating in a cored structure [GB 20/2/2006]

Search terms: Tool, Weapon, Knife, Dagger