Dagger blade

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This bronze dagger blade, originally with a gold mounting on the hilt, was found in a cist burial under a cairn at Skateraw at Dunbar in East Lothian. Such a rich object indicates the grave of an important man. He was buried between 2200 and 1900 BC.

The blade was attached to its hilt by the two rivets in the base.

During the second half of the third millennium BC, when individual inhumation was popular, some graves were exceptional for their grave goods, size or construction. These include 'dagger graves' where men were buried with elaborate daggers.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-035-793-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.EQ 237
• Date: Between 2200 and 1900 BC
  
• Material: Bronze; two rivets in base
  
• Dimensions: 5.75" L
  
• What:
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, East Lothian, Dunbar, Skateraw
  
• Event:
• Description: Bronze dagger blade with two rivets in base, from Skateraw
  
• References:
  • Coles, John M. Scottish Early Bronze Age metalwork. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 101 (1968-9), 1-110, esp. pp 40, 90, 99. 
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