NHER 4725 (Find Spot record) - Bronze Age metal hoard

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Summary

A hoard of Bronze Age copper alloy objects, including swords, parts of spearheads and a halberd, was found on the banks of the River Wissey in around 1873.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet Not recorded
Civil Parish STOKE FERRY, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

No mapped location recorded.

Merchant's Hoard.

Before 30 January 1873. Stray Find.
Bronze Age hoard found on banks of Wissey.
Objects from this hoard were exhibited by J. W. Flower at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of London on 30 January 1873 and subsequently described in (S2) as comprising "…two leaf-shaped swords and three spear-heads, all broken; found together on the banks of the River Wissey, near Stoke Ferry…".

One bronze halberd blade (three rivet holes. E. Rose NAU); two leaf-shaped swords (V- type), seven rivet holes, one with hilt repaired; (defective casting. E. Rose NAU). 58.4cm (23 inches) long; one scabbard-chape or pommel (39mm long); parts of five leaf-shaped spearheads plus fragments. (given as three in (S1)). (S6) quotes halberd found with sword and spearhead as indicating survival of latter (?former. R. R. Clarke.). Bronze Age index. Spearheads in Hoard Class VB 9 inch to 11 inch. R. R. Clarke (NCM).
Analysis of halberd in (S9). R. R. Clarke (NCM).

Details in file.

  • --- Article in Serial: Brown, M. A. and Blin-Stoyle, A. E. 1959. A Sample Analysis of British Middle and Late Bronze Age Material using Optical Spectrometry. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society. Vol XXV pp 188-208. pp 201, 202.
  • --- Article in Serial: Case, H. 1954. Studies of Irish and British Early Copper Artifacts: Second Series: Reports of the Ancient Mining and Metallurgy Committee of the Royal Anthropological Institute. Vol LIV February pp 18-27. p 19.
  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Stoke Ferry [3].
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Article in Serial: Ríordáin, S. 1936. The Halberd in Bronze Age Europe: A Study in Prehistoric Origins, Evolution, Distribution, and Chronology. Archaeologia. Vol 86 (Second Series) pp 195-321. P 197.
  • <S2> Article in Serial: [anonymous]. 1873. [proceedings of meeting held Thursday, January 30th, 1873] ]. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London. Second Series Vol V pp 420-435. p 425.
  • <S3> Publication: Evans, J. 1881. The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland. pp 30, 270, 282; Hoard No 22.
  • <S4> Publication: Mortlillet. 1881. Musee Prehistorique.
  • <S5> Monograph: 1901. The Victoria History of Norfolk. The Victoria History of the Counties of England. Vol 1. p 270.
  • <S6> Publication: 1905. Catalogue of Plowright's Collection, Swaffham.
  • <S7> Article in Serial: 1923. [unknown]. Arch. Vol 73, p 256.
  • <S8> Article in Monograph: Sainty, J. E. 1935. Norfolk Prehistory. British Association for the Advancement of Science. Report of the Annual Meeting, 1935. Norwich, September 4-11. British Association for the Advancement of Science. Appendix pp 60-71. p 68.
  • <S9> Article in Serial: [unknown]. Arch. Vol LXI, p 472.
  • HALBERD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • HOARD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • SCABBARD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • SPEAR (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • SWORD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Mar 4 2024 11:14AM

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