Object: Rapier
Period: Bronze Age
Collection: Society of Antiquaries Colction   B.20,(presented 1860 by Sudlow Roots, Esq., from the collection,of his father William Roots - no. 11).
Site: GREATER LONDON,KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES,CHELSEA WATERWORKS
Discovery context: river
District: Kingston upon Thames
County: Greater London
Country: England
Grid reference: c. TQ 17,67
Year of discovery: 1855
Length (mm): 47.25
Surface: black brown to dull gold sur. - mainly intact; small patches of green,textured accretion on one hilt face.
Other: Circumstances: "found whilst digging for the Chelsea Waterworks at Kingston, about six feet below the surface of the blue clay, June 1855". (a),   The site could lie intact in Long Ditton,parish, Surrey; Ordnance Survey Records,state 'area TQ 176 675'.,  Labels/Markings: rect. s/o label: 'B20',   fragment of white ind inser. beneath,loose tag label - Roots' original.,  SN Feb. 79
Description: Dimensions: W sh 63; max W of lower bl.,25.2; max. T 5.2; max. T bl. (below rib) 4.7; rivet - L 16.0; T centre 7.6-8.1.,  Typology: angular trapezoidal butt, neatly flattened sides and top; hilt-plate,strengthened by pronounced central ridge; bl. mainly with flattened midrib - markedly,concave e. bevels; v. sl. waisting to upper bl.; one intact rivet with near circ.section,- heads' inclined in converging planes; flat inside to rivet holes - punched?,  Condition: rivet loop prob. broken in ant. - ends sim. colour to rest; some of nicks,in bl. edge poss. recent - little brightening of colour.
Publications: a) P.S.A 2 I, 1859-61, 83 no. 11,   b) Phillips, 1967, 26