A late Bronze Age carp’s-tongue sword from Swettenham, Cheshire

Knight, Matthew G; Oakden, Vanessa; Jones, Ben; Brandherm, Dirk

A late Bronze Age carp’s-tongue sword from Swettenham, Cheshire

Resource type

Journal article

Creator (person)

Knight, Matthew G

ORCID

Oakden, Vanessa

Jones, Ben

Brandherm, Dirk

Date published

2021

Abstract

In 2018 five fragments of an almost complete late Bronze Age copper alloy sword were recovered during metal detecting at Swettenham, Cheshire, and subsequently reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme. This article outlines the discovery of the sword, its typological features and the nature of its fragmentation, as well as its place amongst other late Bronze Age metalwork from Cheshire. The sword can be classed as belonging to the ‘transitional’ group of carp’s-tongue swords, dating c 950/930–900/880 BC; it is the first of its kind in Cheshire and one of only a few known from western Britain. The sword was donated by the finder and landowner to Congleton Museum.