Hi Hugh,
Having looked at Scandinavian-period metalwork from Lincolnshire in rather a lot of detail, as you know, I'd agree this isn't 'Danish' - the use of Bronze in itself doesn't make sense. As far as I am aware blades were steel/iron during the early med period, and is copper-alloys were used brass is more likely than bronze in an Anglo-Scandinavian/'Viking' context. The shape too doesn't look right - not that I know anything about the BA but it looks more BA to me than Danish.
I seem to remember some 9th-10th-century dagger sheaths from North or North east Lincolnshire on the PAS website. Maybe these would be useful for comparison, although I can't remember how fragmentary they were?..
I guess Kevin Leahy might be a good person to ask too?
Letty
***
Dr Letty ten Harkel
Postdoctoral Researcher (early medieval)
'Landscape and Identities: the case of the English landscape 1500 BC – AD 1086'
http://www.arch.ox.ac.uk/englishlandscapes.html
http://englaid.wordpress.com
Institute of Archaeology
34-36 Beaumont Street
Oxford OX1 2PG
+44(0)1865278256
________________________________________
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Isobel Thompson [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 11 May 2012 13:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "Danish" Dagger - Friday Question
I have no idea what it is, but would like to know - that's a very smart, and strange, piece. Did people still use 'Danish' as a default label in 1937? It doesn't look obviously Bronze Age, but then I know beans about Bronze Age metalwork (and Danish).
Isobel
Dr Isobel Thompson
Historic Environment Record
Historic Environment Unit
Hertfordshire County Council
County Hall EMG CHN 108
Pegs Lane
Hertford
SG13 8DN
tel: 01992 555245
-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Winfield, Hugh
Sent: 11 May 2012 12:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: "Danish" Dagger - Friday Question
Hello all,
Sorry to make a break from the public engagement discussions, but has anyone seen anything like the artifact in the attached (poor quality) photocopy? Apparently those accessing the forum as a web thing rather than email should be able to get the attachment but I can't remember how!
The description, adapted from the OS card, reads:
Danish dagger - 850AD approx. Found at beacon hill, Cleethorpes.
This bronze dagger was found, 1937, during foundation preparation for a new estate. From 2 foot down in solid clay it was recovered in perfect
condition. The British museum classified it as Danish and considered it
a most rare specimen, designed with a loop to fit over the palm of the hand. It remains in the possession of the finder.
I checked with the BM a while ago and they don't have any notes on the original interpretation, however I would guess that the artifact is actually Bronze Age and so do a few other people I have shown the photocopy to. I have a potential owner to chase up so I may be able to get a decent photo of the item.
Cheers,
Hugh
Hugh Winfield
Archaeologist and Historic Environment Record Officer Development Management Origin One, Origin Way Europarc, Grimsby North East Lincolnshire
DN37 9TZ
Tel: (01472) 32 3586 Fax: (01472) 32 4216
Access maps of the Archaeological and Historic sites, buildings and monuments in North East Lincolnshire here:
http://isharemaps.nelincs.gov.uk/mynelc.aspx
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