Lower part of a bronze blade. There are rivet holes on the handle and the bottom of the blade.

Collection type: Object
Description: Lower part of a bronze blade. There are rivet holes on the handle and the bottom of the blade.
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 Riveted, Process Cast
Dimensions: Width: max 45 mm, Length: max 270 mm, Weight 264 g
Object numbers: Accession number: 1884.119.302 PR Cat other PR nos: 1506 PR Cat other PR nos: 2618
Research and responses: 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] [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]
These objects represent the earliest swords in Europe, and indeed, the earliest archaeologically attested manifestation of it globally – swords appear to have been invented in the Middle Bronze Age in the eastern Alps (Harding, 1998: 331-2). One important change in the Early Bronze Age (ca. 2000 – 1300 BC), predating that from which our swords come, was the introduction of the horse-drawn chariot around 2000 BC, although true riding (evidenced by the excavation of stirrups) was to come somewhat later, in the Middle Bronze Age. In the Middle (ca. 1400-1000 BC), and particularly Late (ca. 1000-500 BC) Bronze Ages, significant numbers of swords, sheet bronze armour and other weapons appear in the archaeological record, alongside a vastly increased incidence of hilltop fortifications. This seems to have gone hand in hand with the development of complex chiefdoms across Northwest Europe. Experimental archaeologists have tested replicas of swords such as these against the sheet bronze breastplates, shields and helmets which are associated with elite burials of the period. These tests have found that the soft metal armours were no match for these weapons, and easily cut through. Indeed, the leather and wooden armours and shields which the bronze versions mimic in form were found to be a much better defence against such swords. Consequently, archaeologists have argued that these bronze armours were high-status parade armours, and reflect a prominent militaristic culture of chiefly display in the later Bronze Age. These swords were an integral part of that display process. Metallographic analyses (Allen, Britton & Coghlan, 1970) have revealed a complex set of smithing skills being practiced in Northwest Europe at this time, including casting, forging, cold-forging, annealing, and heat-treatments alluding to the beginnings of the pursuit of tempering, 3,500 years away in northern Europe (Megaw & Simpson, 1988: 258-9). Research Conducted for DCF Cutting Edge 2006/2007 [AM]
Associated publications: Published in 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 229 - Upper part of sword. Grip has sides convex in outline, scarcely flanged, two rivet holes along middle, flanked by ribs on each face, pommel end expanded, slightly convex in outline. Shoulders straight each with two rivet holes. Surviving part of blade has sides concave in outline, edges have traces of bevels sharpened but now damaged, made jagged in places probably in antiquity. Midrib fairly distinct from lower rivet holes in grip merging into central thickness of blade. Lower end broken and slightly bent in side view. Surfaces rather rough with some corrosion (metallographic examination and analysis provided) [Drawing] - Sn 17.9%, Pb 7.75%, As 0.15%, Sb 0.19%, Ni 0.1%, Bi 0.004, Fe<0.006%, Ag 0.12%, Mg<0.005%. This analysis confirms this object is a bronze alloy. [GB 20/2/2006]

Search terms: Weapon, Sword