Object Title

Spear head

Date

50AD - 100AD

Object Number

VII.4149

Provenance

Purchased 28 April 2004 from Christie's, Guttmann Arms and Armour sale 5524, lot 149

Physical Description

Iron. The long, slender, and attenuated leaf-shape blade terminates in an acute point and has a round socket. The socket has two small opposing holes presumably fot the attachment of the now missing haft.

Materials

Metal - ferrous

Dimensions

Dimensions: Overall length: 439 mm (17 1/4 in), blade length: 355 mm (14 in) Weight: 358 g (12.8 oz.)

Inscriptions and Marks

A series of punched small circles and wavy lines run along the centre of the blade on both sides for most of its length. There is also a faint, but illegible, inscription, in Latin, on the socket.

Associations

Places Roman Empire

Bibliographic References

Sale catalogue of the The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, Part 2, Wednesday 28 April 2004, Christie's, London, 2004, pp.148 (illus.) and 149.

Notes

The blade was at least severly bent, if not once broken (accidentally or deliberately as part of a ritual 'killing' of the weapon) about midway along its length. This has been repaired with a 'lead-like' material, the same material being used to also make a repair to the socket.
It is not clear from the sales catalogue whether or not the spearhead was actually found at the same site as the Roman sword that it was sold with (see IX.5583).

Information

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