The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons, and Ornaments, of Great Britain and Ireland.Evans, John
History
The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons, and Ornaments, of Great Britain and Ireland.
Evans, John
Bronze age -- Great Britain; Bronze age -- Ireland; Great Britain -- Antiquities
In some the blade is proportionally wider and shorter. I have one from
near Enniskillen (7¼ inches), in which the blade between the socket
and the ribs is so thin that two long holes have been eaten or worn
through it, giving it the appearance of belonging to the perforated
class to be subsequently described.
An Irish specimen much like Fig. 397 is engraved in “Horæ
Ferales.”[1247]
A small broad-bladed form is of very common occurrence in Ireland. An
example is given in Fig. 398. Another is engraved by Wilde (Fig. 369).
Some have two diagonal ribs on each side of the blade instead of only
one. A rather more pointed form is given by Vallancey.[1248] There are
others figured in the “Horæ Ferales.”[1249]
This type is of rare occurrence in England, but one (4½ inches?)
much like Fig. 398 was ploughed up at Heage,[1250] in the parish
of Duffield, Derbyshire, and another (4⅝ inches) was found near
Lincoln.[1251]
A gracefully shaped spear-head, with parallel beadings upon the blade,
and having very flat loops with pointed oval faces on the socket, was
found in the Thames, and formed part of the Roach Smith Collection,
now in the British Museum. It is shown in Fig. 399, and appears to be
unique of its kind. A plain spear-head (7 inches) of much the same
form, and another of the same length, but wider and flatter, were
found at Edington Burtle, Somerset, and are now in the Museum at
Taunton.
[Illustration: Fig. 401.—Near Ballymena. ½]
A very remarkable specimen in the Royal Irish Academy is engraved as
Fig. 400. It has already been figured on a small scale by Wilde, who
thus describes it:[1252] “A long narrow spear with concave or recurved
sides, and long lozenge-shaped loops on each side of the socket, where
the circular form of that portion of the weapon becomes angular.
Narrow lateral ridges connect these loops with the base of the blade,
which has hollow bevelled edges, and is as sharp as the day it came
from the mould. The socket margin is decorated with a fillet of five
elevations, and a double linear engraved or punched ornament forming
a triangular pattern like that seen in some antique gold ornaments.
A sharp ridge extends along the middle of the socket from the loops
to the point, on each side of which, as well as in the angles between
the blade and the socket, there are lines of small oval punched
indentations apparently effected by the hand.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons, and Ornaments, of Great Britain and Ireland. — John Shaqi
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account