Gallery Title
Gallery Title
sword
Accession Number NWHCM : 1949.4
Description
Sword, Iron Age iron sword, 3rd century BC; anthropoid hilt in the form of a human figure, knob terminals at ends of arms and legs and rounded triangular boss between arms for head; edges of blade notched and corroded
Read Moresword
The Iron Age inhabitants of Britain have been characterised as a warlike society. The range of weapons they used included swords, daggers, spears and slings. It is perhaps surprising just how few weapons belonging to the period have been found in Norfolk. Only one Iron Age sword has been discovered, in addition to a single complete scabbard and some individual shield fittings. The sword was revealed during gravel extraction at Shouldham in north Norfolk. It was reported as having been placed on the chest of a skeleton when found, although no evidence for this observation has survived.