Description

Summary: 1 bronze dagger with narrow blade (tip missing and corroded) and three rivets, decorated with a rounded central ridge and five grooves either side, found in secondary cremation in Bowl Barrow Edington G2, excavated by William Cunnington.

Research results

A Bronze Age copper alloy dagger blade found in 1801 by William Cunnington, when excavating the plough damaged barrow Edington G2. The dagger was found with a secondary cremation, and is of a type which dates to the 1750-1500 BC. Traces of a wooden sheath survive.

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.