Newcastle, River Tyne, bronze sword

HER Number:
768

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Newcastle, River Tyne, bronze sword

Place:
Newcastle

Map Sheet:
NZ26SE

Class:
Armour and Weapons

Site Type: Broad:
Weapon

Site Type: Specific:
Sword

General Period:
Prehistoric

Specific Period:
Bronze Age

Form of Evidence:
Find

Description:
First published in 1881, its discovery is not well recorded, but it is said to have been dredged from the Tyne a little below Newcastle in the same place as HER no. 767, perhaps near Tyne Bridge, in 1885. It was eventually donated to the Society of Antiquaries by the then Tyne Improvement Commissioners. It is described by Cowen thus: "An elegant piece in brilliant condition, lacks the tip. Semi-circular notch in upper edge of pommel-piece is little more than the enlarged lower half of a peg-hole". The sword is described as 694 or 700 mm long, and has once been in two pieces. The handle is pierced by 7 rivet-holes, 4 on the butt and 3 on the handle. It is similar to, but slightly longer than, Her No. 767, with which it has previously been confused.

Easting:
254

Northing:
638

Grid Reference:
NZ254638

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 768 >> J. Evans, 1881, The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons...of Great Britain and Ireland, p. 281 and fig. 344 R. Blair, 1887, Donations to the Museum,Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 2, II (for 1885-6), p. 333 Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 1889, 2, III (for 1887-88), 233, 253, 309, opp. 408 Photo, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 1907, 3, II (for 1905-06), opp. p. 226, no. 3 O. Montelius, 1908, The Chonology of the British Bronze Age, Archaeologia, LXI, p. 143, pl. XVII fig. 142 W.P. Brewis, 1923, Archaeologia, LXXII, pp. 258-9 pls. XLI-XLII, figs. 25, 25 a & b M.H. Dodds, ed. 1930, Prehistoric Period, Northumberland County History, XIII, p.21 figs. 20 and 22, and p. 22 J.D. Cowen, 1967, The Hallstatt Sword of Bronze: on the Continent and in Britain,Proceedings Prehisotirc Society, XXXIII, p. 444 no. 198 A.J. Challis & D.W. Harding, 1975, Later Prehistory from the Trent to the Tyne, British Archaeological Report, 20 pt. ii, p. 35 and fig. 76 no. 2 R. Miket, 1984, The Prehistory of Tyne and Wear, p. 44 and p. 46 fig. 14 no. 9