Description

Summary: 1 bronze knife dagger with two rivet holes, one rivet and a broken point, found with a primary cremation placed in a wooden box covered in clay in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G4, excavated by William Cunnington

Research results

A Bronze Age copper alloy knife blade excavated by William Cunnington from the bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G4. This was one of two daggers found with a primary cremation which had been buried in a wooden box, alongside a pair of bone 'tweezers' and a lost bone pin. Fragments of copper alloy found with the grave were interpretted by Colt Hoare as possible fittings from the box.

This object was examined as part of the research published in Ritual in Early Bronze Age Grave Goods; a six-year research project carried out by Professor John Hunter and Dr Anne Woodward and funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Aided by a large number of other specialists the pair undertood an exhuastive study examining over 1000 objects held in 13 museums across the country in order to provide an extensive overview of burial practices in the period and identify regional practices.