NHER 2540 (Find Spot record) - Bronze Age rapier and human jaw

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Summary

Part of an unfinished Bronze Age copper alloy rapier and part of a human lower jaw were found around 1960 when the field was ploughed.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TL69NE
Civil Parish METHWOLD, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

Around 1960. Stray Find.
Found after ploughing to 18 inches [45cm]:
1 Bronze Age copper alloy rapier, unfinished.
Human lower jaw found nearby.
Seen by B. Green (NCM) and T.H. Mck. Clough (NCM).
See drawings (S1)-(S3).
Subsequently donated to Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1994.12.8).
Information from (S4).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 May 2018.

This is the ceremonial rapier from Methwold noted in (S5). The Methwold rapier was itself subsequently subject to composition analysis, the results of which indicated that it was unlikely to have originated from the same stock of metal as the objects discussed in (S5). See report and correspondence in file for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 July 2016.

  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Illustration: Clough, T. 1960. Sketch of an unfinished Bronze Age copper alloy rapier. Paper. 1:1.
  • <S2> Illustration: Curtis, F. 1969. Drawings of two Bronze Age copper alloy rapiers (one complete) and a Bronze Age copper alloy dagger. Paper. 1:1.
  • <S3> Illustration: Robins, P. 1991. Drawing of a Bronze Age copper alloy rapier. Paper. 1:1.
  • <S4> Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Methwold.
  • <S5> Article in Serial: Needham, S. 1990. Middle Bronze Age Ceremonial Weapons: new finds from Oxborough, Norfolk and Essex/Kent. Antiquaries Journal. Vol LXX Pt II pp 239-252. p 251.
  • RAPIER (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Undated)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

May 24 2018 11:07AM

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