Object: Dagger
Classification: Ogival Midrib Dagger (With Midrib)
Period: Bronze Age
Collection: Wiltshire Archaeological Society's Museum at Devizes, B.45
Site: England,Wiltshire,Parish - Ashton Keynes,On east side of road running north from North End, 100 yards north of spot - level 289, Wilts. 6 inch Ordnance Sheet, in a small enclosure.
Parish: Ashton Keynes
County: Wiltshire
Country: England
Year of discovery: NA
Length (mm): 152.4
Weight (g): 53.16
Patina: Brassy in colour, appears to have been cleaned.
Composition: Bronze
Other: Length: 6 in. = 152.4,Weight 1 7/8 oz = 53.16 gms
Associations: None
Description: Good condition.
Publications: Wilts Arch. Mag. XLVI, p. 103-4. - Extract posted below,Devizes Museum cat. Part II, 2nd edition, page 70, Fig. 14,DM 1159; GC 353
Remarks: Extract: "Bronze Dagger from Ashton Keynes. This bronze dagger was exhibited by the Rev. M. T. Milling during the Society's recent (1939) visit to the Church, and was most kindly presented by him then and there to the Society's Museum. "It was found," he writes, "by my clerk when digging a drock at North End, Ashton Keynes, twenty-three years ago. I looked to see at the time if there was anything else of interest in the spot dug, but I found nothing." The Society is indebted to Mr. A. D. Passmore for photographing both the dagger and the Roman objects mentioned in the preceding note. The dagger measures 6 ins. in length and 1 5/8 ins. width at the butt. It is in a remarkable state of preservation, the metal being quite uncorroded and showing yellow on one side and dark green on the other. The only injury is that a bit 3/4 in. wide in the centre of the butt which probably contained a third rivet hole is broken off, otherwise the weapon is perfect and the edges actually sharp enough still to cut a pencil with (I have just tried the experiment!). There is a prominent midrib on both sides and the edges are bevelled. A rare peculiarity is that the two rivet holes at the butt are not placed symmetrically. This perhaps rather suggests that it was a halberd blade, but it is too small for this. There is no specimen quite like it in the Society's collection. E.H. Goddard.