Description

Summary: 1 bronze knife dagger with 3 rivet holes and one rivet remaining (broken in three places) found with a primary cremation (in an upright food vessel) in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G66, excavated by William Cunnington.

Research results

A Bronze Age copper alloy small dagger or knife, found with the primary cremation of Bowl Barrow Winterbourne Stoke G66 when it was excavated by William Cunnington in the Early 19th century. The cremation had been deposited in an urn, and the bone pommel associated with the blade was also found. Striations from the sharpening of the blade's edge are still visible in places.

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.