BRONZE AGE KNIFE

-950

Late Bronze Age socketed knife of Thorndon type in good condition. The blade is leaf-shaped, resembling in miniature swords of the period. The blade edge is bevelled on both sides with a slightly concave profile. The socket is oval in section and on the exterior expands at both ends, while the interior is parallel sided. The blade and socket, characteristically for the type, meet at a straight line. There is a circular attachment rivet midway along the socket, the rivet is still in place on one face. Near the rim beneath the handle is a smaller hole, possibly a secondary attempt to secure the handle. On the other face an area of bronze has torn away, the top of the tear corresponds with the secondary hole on the other face and it is a possibility that this tear occurred during the repair. The knife has a brown patination with some of the red-brown soil still adhering to it. There are no visible sharpening striations along the blade.