Object: Sword
Period: Bronze Age
Collection: Thames Conservancy Collection,Presented 12 July 1937 to the retiring Chairman of the Thames Conservancy Board, the Rt. Hon. Lord Desborough, K.G., G.C.V.O., of Taplow Court, Bucks.,see also next card - apparently same sword
Site: England,Bucks.,R. Thames at Taplow, Bucks, opposite Bray,"This was recovered 19 Nov. 1936, from material dredged by No. 4 Dredger working by Hatch R., about 50 ft. out from the towpath bank (i.e. Bucks side) opposite Messum's Boathouse at Bray. Depth of Water 5'9"; dredging depth 7'6"" (Memo of Thames Conservancy, copied 1937).
Discovery context: river,dredged
Parish: Taplow
District: Buckinghamshire
County: Buckinghamshire
Country: England
Grid reference: 6" O.S. Bucks LV NE
Year of discovery: 1936
Length (mm): 719
Width (mm): 61 at shoulders
Thickness (mm): 9
Weight (g): 712
Patina: Dark, peaty [orcassing?] in patches; considerable areas golden bronze. Traces of blue & violet colour on grip and pommel.
Surface: Smooth surface
Description: Three rivets in hilt; 3 in each shoulder; elongated tongue extending from blade to lower of rivets in hilt. Pommel broken; the rivet holes and slot between them, but not quite in the middle. Shoulders have a slight overhanging projection. Slight flange on each side of grip. Casting-flaw by one edge near point. Blade slightly bent. Sharp edges. Traces of ?bone substance on grip, probably vestiges of bone? hilt plates (T.D.K., has Leica negative of photo showing this).