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I was chatting with the exceptionally talented Paul Binns on Friday and he mentioned a sword in the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology that was Roman/ Romano-British, had a hilt similar to the 5th century Feltwell spatha and had two small pigs inlaid into the blade. I can't find it- can someone help?
Cheers
Paul
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That's the one they pulled out of the River Lark in the late 20s. Two boars stamped on one side of the blade, one on the other. It's Anglo Saxon though, late 6th or 7th I think and going off the remains of the hilt (which are negligible) it's a standard horn assembly, like the Snape or Cumberland.
"Medicus" Matt Bunker
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Thanks Matt- that sounds like the one. Do you have any pics?
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I don't think I've got any pics. I haven't seen it for about 12 years.
Apparently Ian Stead thinks it's La Tene as animal stamps on blades turn up on some La Tene period blades (like the Syon Reach Isleworth blade in the BM). Don't know if he put it in his 'Iron Age swords' book as Mr Mortimer has my copy at the moment.
Not sure myself; I know a very nice La Tene scabbard came out of the Lark but I don't remember the sword looking particularly Iron Age and Davidson reckoned it was A-S.
It was published in 1931 :-
"A Sword from the River Lark." T. Lethbridge - C.A.S xxxii
"Medicus" Matt Bunker
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