Object: Dirk (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1350 to -1000)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Vaynor, Merthyr Tydfil, Merthyr Tydfil (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 186 mm
Thickness: 4.8 mm
Weight: 70.7 g
Description: Middle to Late Bronze Age bronze dirk with a Group IV blade of uncertain sub-type and of Penard metalworking industry dated to c. 1350 – 1000BC 



The dirk is incomplete missing the tip and with peripheral damage and is fragmentary, now in three fragments (with a combined surviving length of 186mm and a weight of 70.7g) in addition to the separate bronze rivet. The top edge of the butt is straight and has broken around one of the rivet holes (with a surviving width of 23.6mm and a thickness of 2.0mm). The surviving rivet hole is countersunk and circular (with a diameter of 5.7mm and a minimum distance between the rivet holes of 20.9mm) and an arc of approximately one-third from the damaged perforation is evident. The shoulders of the butt are eroded and damaged, now of uncertain form, one side is near-vertical and moderately straight, the other has the suggestion of widening before narrowing to the blade (with a maximum surviving width of 48.8mm where the butt has a thickness of 2.6mm), perhaps suggesting a butt of trapezoidal form. The top of the flattened midrib is evident at the base of butt, widest at its apex (at 34mm). The top of the midrib corresponds with a possible hilt mark, which appears straight and horizontal. There is also a straight horizontal mark on the opposite face but higher on the butt (14mm below the top edge, as opposed to 27mm). Both blade edges have been lost to erosion making the original form of the dirk uncertain. The flattened midrib is discernible along all of the surviving length and is widest at the top of the blade with straight convergent sides, becoming a narrow rib above the tip. The dirk reaches its maximum thickness (of 4.8mm) at its approximate mid-point, near the upper part of the central fragment. There is no decoration on the dirk. Striations are evident on the surface; there are deep vertical striations at the top of the butt, probably preserved from the finishing. Less prominent striations are evident running along the blade edge from sharpening. The surface has a dark-brown patina, with bright-green corrosion on damaged areas.



The rivet is near-ncomplete (with a length of 14.4mm and a weight of 1.7g), missing one end and has a slight bend. The surviving head is of sub-oval form (7.2mm x 6.3mm) and the shaft is of near-square section (4mm square) but with faceted corners. The surface has a dark-green patina



The erosion to the edges of the butt and blade makes typological identification uncertain, however the straight top edge of the butt, the two rivet holes, perhaps notched and the flattened mid-rib on the blade may suggest a Group IV blade, as defined by Burgess and Gerloff (1981, p. 62-112)[1]. The suggestion of a trapezoidal butt form, may suggest the butt was of ‘Archaic type’. Group IV blades are of Penard metalworking industry dated to c. 1350 – 1000BC 





[1] Burgess C.B. & Gerloff S., 1981; The Dirks and Rapiers of Great Britain and Ireland, Praähistorische Bronzefunde Abteilung IV. Band 7.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder