From Duddingston Loch, near Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh

Pieces of broken swords

These broken swords are part of a large hoard of metalwork, much of it deliberately broken, found in Duddingston Loch near Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh. They were probably thrown into the loch as offerings to the gods sometime between 950 and 750 BC.

One sword is bent and broken in two, while the other two are preserved only as a point and bent blade.

Offerings to the gods were often special material, treated in special ways or put in special places, such as water. Prestigious weapons such as axeheads, maceheads or swords are sometimes found broken, probably part of a ceremony we can only guess about.

Record details

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Online ID:	000-100-034-705-C
Image Rights Holder:	National Museums Scotland
Project:	0098: National Museums Scotland Project description \| View all records in project
Ref:	National Museums Scotland X.DQ 305
Date:	Between 950 and 750 BC
Material:	Bronze; broken off under hilt; bent back at point Bronze; contorted Bronze; contorted; bent; broken in two; three rivet holes and a slot in hilt plate
Dimensions:	10.25" x 1.75" 14.25" L 24.13" x 1.75"
What:	Blade, sword Sword Sword point
Subject:
Who:
Where:	Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh, Duddingston Loch Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh, Duddingston Loch Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh, Duddingston Loch
Event:
Description:	Contorted bronze sword, broken in two, with three rivet holes and a slot in the hilt plate, from Duddingston Loch Contorted point of a bronze sword, from Duddingston Loch Blade of a bronze sword broken off under the hilt and bent back at the point, from Duddingston Loch
References:	Coles, John M. Scottish late Bronze Age metalwork: typology, distributions and chronology. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 93 (1959-1960), 16-134, esp. pp 29, 38, 117.
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