Search Results

Sword

< 1 of 1 > Back

from Shuna, Inner Hebrides

Postcard of Sword.
000-100-034-399-C
© National Museums Scotland

Sword

This bronze sword was found with two others, points downwards in the peat, on the island of Shuna in the Inner Hebrides. The hoard was deposited between 950 and 750 BC.

The leaf-shaped blade has three rivet holes in each wing and one in the hilt plate for securing handle. The pommel end of the handle has broken off.

Prestigious weapons such as swords are sometimes found broken or placed in special places such as water where they were unlikely to have been placed for safekeeping. Such deposits may be offerings to the gods, ritually destroyed as part of a ceremony we can only guess at.


Record details

To search on related items, click any linked text below.

Online ID: 000-100-034-399-C
Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
Project: 0098: National Museums Scotland
Project description | View all records in project
Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.DL 21
Date: Between 950 and 750 BC
Late Bronze Age
Material: Bronze; leaf-shaped; three rivet holes in each wing and one in hilt plate; pommel end of handle broken off
Dimensions: 21.13" L
What:
Subject:
Who:
Where: Scotland, Argyll, Shuna
Event:
Description: Late Bronze Age leaf-shaped sword, found with two others point downwards in peat at Shuna, Argyll
References:
  • Coles, John M. Scottish late Bronze Age metalwork: typology, distributions and chronology. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 93 (1959-1960), pp 16-134, esp. 83, 104. 
Translations:
Related Records:
< 1 of 1 > Back
 
Powered by Scran