Knife

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This iron knife was found during excavations at the site of the Roman fort at Newstead in Roxburghshire. It could have been used for a number of purposes, including skinning animals, sometime between 80 and 180 AD.

The knife has a curved edge. It is damaged.

There were three stages to prepare a skin. First the hide was removed from a dead animal using knives such as this one. Next, it was cleaned, by loosening hair and fat, then scraping flesh, muscles and tendons with scrapers. Then the hide was preserved.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-036-940-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.FRA 271
• Date: Between 80 and 180 AD
  
• Material: Iron; curved edge
  
• Dimensions: 150 mm x 30 mm
  
• What:
• Subject:
• Who: Newstead Collection
  
• Where: Scotland, Roxburghshire, Melrose, Newstead
  
• Event:
• Description: Iron knife with a curved edge, probably British, from Newstead
  
• References:
  • Curle, J. A Roman frontier post and its people: the fort of Newstead. Glasgow: MacLehose, 1911, p 282, Pl. LX, 7. 
• Translations:
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