Prehistoric — Late Bronze Age; 1025 - 925 cal BCE
Sword
A Late Bronze Age bronze Wilburton type sword dating 925 - 800 BCE.
In the Bronze Age swords were highly valuable and probably important markers of status and identity. They were difficult to cast and required a high level of skill from the craft-person who made them. Several Bronze Age swords have been discovered in the Thames. It is highly likely they were deliberately deposited in the river. This practice may have been linked to the importance of rivers both in a practical sense and a spiritual one. Rivers were special places, water was essential for life but could also be a threat to life. This blade was deliberately damaged before it was deposited into the river, perhaps 'killing' the blade to change it from its use as a weapon to its use as an offering.
- Category:
- Prehistoric
- Object ID:
- O1367
- Object name:
- sword
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- —
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- Late Bronze Age; 1025 - 925 cal BCE
- Material:
copper alloy
- Measurements/duration:
- L 595 mm, W (terminal) 31 mm, W (shoulder) 57 mm, W (maximum blade width) 48 mm, L 591 mm, W 56 mm, T 6 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Long-term loan
Thomas Layton Trust
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.