IRON AGE MINIATURE OBJECT

-400

A complete copper alloy razor or miniature knife. The knife is a flat sheet of copper alloy with a curved faceted blade edge with 'S'-shaped back. The tip curves beyond the extent of the tang; the tang terminates with an incomplete side facing loop or hook. Similarly formed life-sized iron blades are known measuring up to circa 150mm in length, around twice the size of the Nettleton knife (Manning 1985: 119). These characteristic life-sized blades form Manning's Type 24 (ibid: 116, fig.29) and date from the Iron Age and into the Roman period. The presence of the faceted blade edge indicates that the object could have been used, yet the lack of wear on the edge shows that the object was made for deposition. The knife can also be compared to an iron reaping hook discovered at the votive causeway site at Fiskerton, Lincolnshire (Field & Parker Pearson 2003: 73, fig. 4.18.2). The Fiskerton example measures 153mm in length and has a broad curving blade and a narrow tapering tang with an upturned end. The Nettleton example is of similar form but with an incomplete terminal that curves to the side rather than upwards.