Accession No

1922.425


Description

Iron quillon dagger with copper alloy cross guard and pommel. Single edged, lightly hollow ground blade tapers to a sharp point; blade has an elongated triangular cross-section with flat back for lower third towards hilt and bevelled back for upper two-thirds towards tip. Cross guard consists of a rectangular écusson with slightly rounded face and two angled grooves from which spring symmetrical, straight quillions with octagonal, flaring cross sections; one side of écusson features the broken base of a perpendicularly projecting feature, possibly a thumb ring or similar. Tang is squared and tapers slightly towards pommel. Pommel resembles a heptagon crown with rounded top; the top surface features seven grooves radiating from the tang button which takes the form of a four-petalled flower. Blade features inlaid copper-alloy maker’s mark.


Place

Europe; British Isles; England; Cambridgeshire; Wicken; Upware


Period

Medieval 14th century


Source

Cambridge Antiquarian Society [donor]


Department

Arch


Reference Numbers

1922.425


Cultural Affliation


Material

Metal; Iron; Copper Alloy; ?Brass


Local Term


Measurements

380mm


Events

Context (Display)
Hand-written display label reads: 'From the Cam near Upware.'
Event Date
Author: Zahni Blumenthal


Context (Field collection)
Found: Found in river Cam near Upware.
Event Date
Author: maa


Description (Physical description)
Pommel guard of brass, the quillons curve slightly to the blade. From the centre of the guard projects the broken remains of a horn shaped piece of metal. The iron blade is slightly concave on both sides, sharp along rise edge. The thick back is flat for some short distance from the guard, thin ridged to the point.
Event Date
Author: maa


Context (Analysis)
Catalogue card notes: 'cf. Catalogue of the Guildehall Museum, p. 270, no. 85, Pl. 87.4'
Event Date 1922
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)


Description (Physical description)
Iron quillon dagger with copper alloy cross guard and pommel. Single edged, lightly hollow ground blade tapers to a sharp point; blade has an elongated triangular cross-section with flat back for lower third towards hilt and bevelled back for upper two-thirds towards tip. Cross guard consists of a rectangular écusson with slightly rounded face and two angled grooves from which spring symmetrical, straight quillions with octagonal, flaring cross sections; one side of écusson features the broken base of a perpendicularly projecting feature, possibly a thumb ring or similar. Tang is squared and tapers slightly towards pommel. Pommel resembles a heptagon crown with rounded top; the top surface features seven grooves radiating from the tang button which takes the form of a four-petalled flower. Blade features inlaid copper-alloy maker’s mark.
Event Date 21/11/2023
Author: Zahni Blumenthal


FM:16086

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