Description

Summary: 1 bronze dagger (thick and blunt) with 3 rivet holes (Group XVIII), found with a primary cremation in bell barrow Kilmington G1, excavated by William Cunnington

Research results

A Bronze age copper alloy dagger blade, found by William Cunnington while excavating the bell barrow Kilmington G1 in the arly 19th century. The dagger is probably an ad hoc immitation of the contemporary armorico-british series of daggers, and can be dated to c. 1950-1700 BC. As well as the burnt remains of the cremation with which this dagger was buried, Cunnington also found a stone axehead.

This object was examined as part of the research published in Ritual in Early Bronze Age Grave Goods; a six-year research project carried out by Professor John Hunter and Dr Anne Woodward and funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Aided by a large number of other specialists the pair undertood an exhuastive study examining over 1000 objects held in 13 museums across the country in order to provide an extensive overview of burial practices in the period and identify regional practices.