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Middle Bronze Age bronze side looped spearhead

With a pronounced mid-rib and the loops located half-way up the socket.

Side-looped bronze spearhead, 1550-1275 BCE.

Bronze Age weapons have been discovered across Europe. They show how important warriors were in these early metal-working communities. Weapons have changed over time. At first flat daggers and knives were the most typical. These were followed by dirks and rapiers for stabbing and thrusting. Towards the end of the Bronze Age, the first true slashing swords became the weapons of choice. Bronze spearheads were also used. 3,700 years ago they replaced bows and arrows as the most common projectile weapon.

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Middle Bronze Age bronze side looped spearhead
Image: © Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
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Collection Area

Archaeology & Numismatics

Item Number

15.139/2

Find Information

Site Name: Abermeurig, Ceredigion

Notes: originally identified as being associated with the pygmy cup 15.139/1 from the Fan cairn, 500m south of Ty'n-y-rhos Farm, Cardiganshire. Briggs, in the Royal Commission's 'Cardiganshire County History' (1994) pp.193 & 214, states that the spearhead is almost certainly not associated with the pygmy cup, and assigns the provenance of Abermeurig, which is 2½km south of the Fan cairn and the location of the collector/donor's residence. The contemporary correspondence refers to both items as the 'Abermeurig urn and spearhead'.

Acquisition

Donation, 1/6/1915

Measurements

maximum length / mm:169.0
length / mm
length / mm:100.0 (of blade)
maximum width / mm:26.5 (of blade)
width / mm
internal diameter / mm:15.0 (of socket)
diameter / mm
external diameter / mm:17.5 (of socket)
diameter / mm
weight / g:75.4

Material

copper alloy
Northover's composition group: N1

Location

St Fagans Gweithdy gallery : Bronze Age Weapons

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Categories

Bronze Age weapons Cemmaes record verified by A. Gwilt
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