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Roman iron dagger with inlaid scabbard

The dagger and its sheath are corroded together. The dagger has a narrow blade with a rod tang. The handle is largely intact with the whole of the front hilt plate in situ, but the back plate is missing. There are two rivet holes through the expansion at the pommel, and one each end of the guard. X-ray photographs show that the shoulders of the blade did not extend far into the hilt-guard. Most of the metal fittings of the scabbard survive. The suspension loops are made of iron, and each consists of a crescentic loop with internal scrolls, fixed to a basal strip. The ends of each of these strips extend out, bent up at right angles and rolled over to form external scrolls supporting the main loop. The loops appear to be fastened together by welding. The plate and the loops were fastened to the sheath by means of rivets, and there are traces of elongated rectangular washers, formed from copper alloy sheet, at the points where the loops were attached. There were four rivets to fix each of the upper loops and three to secure the lower ones. It is unclear whether the loops were rigid or hinged The decoration on the plate is best seen on the X-rays. It consists of a sinuous stem running the length of the sheath plate. From this stem, leaves or shoots sprout, some developing into curling tendrils. Between the curves of the stem and the wide strip are leaf motives that form the outer border of the decorative panel. These become progressively smaller and more stylized as the plate narrows towards the bottom of the sheath. The field behind is filled with a very fine hatching. There is a very narrow plain border separating the background hatching from the decorative elements. Few physical traces of the materials used as inlay survive, however it seems likely that the main stem and shoots, and its flanking leaves, may have been inlaid with niello. The outer border may also have been inlaid with niello but silver is a possibility. Silver wire seems to have been used for the fine hatched background. The decoration of this sheath is unparalleled, indeed only a few sheaths are decorated with a single panel. Mid-1st century A.D.

Roman iron dagger with inlaid scabbard
Image: © Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
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Collection Area

Archaeology & Numismatics

Item Number

82.10H/4.1

Find Information

Site Name: Usk Detention Centre, Usk

Grid Reference: SO 3801 0057
Collection Method: excavation
Date: 1969

Notes: from fortress pit

Acquisition

Donation, 2/3/1982

Measurements

length / mm:335.0 (overall)
length / mm:c 220.0 sheath plate
width / mm:55.0 (sheath plate)
length / mm:105.0 (handle)
width / mm:57.0 (guard)
width / mm:<40.0 (blade)

Material

iron

Location

Caerleon: Case 02 Usk Military

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