Oxborough dirk
Encyclopedia
The Oxborough Dirk is an over-large ceremonial weapon from the Bronze Age
, a dirk
or dagger, but several times the normal size. It was found in 1988 protruding from a peat bog near Oxborough
, Norfolk
, where it had been deposited point down. It is one of only five large dirks
known in north-west Europe, though excessively large versions of other types of objects are also known. The five are so similar that they may have been made in the same workshop, in which case this one could have been imported to Britain. It dates to 1450-1300 BC and measures 70.9 centimetres (27.9 in) long with a mass of 2.37 kilograms (5.2 lb), making it "ridiculously large and unwieldy" and clearly never intended for practical use, which the lack of holes for fitting to a handle also shows. It was probably either a votive offering
or a store of value in some other way. It is currently on display in Room 50 at the British Museum
.
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, a dirk
Dirk
A dirk is a short thrusting dagger, sometimes a cut-down sword blade mounted on a dagger hilt rather than a knife blade. It was historically used as a personal weapon for officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail.-Etymology:...
or dagger, but several times the normal size. It was found in 1988 protruding from a peat bog near Oxborough
Oxborough
Oxborough is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 240 in 106 households as of the 2001 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of Breckland....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, where it had been deposited point down. It is one of only five large dirks
Dirk
A dirk is a short thrusting dagger, sometimes a cut-down sword blade mounted on a dagger hilt rather than a knife blade. It was historically used as a personal weapon for officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail.-Etymology:...
known in north-west Europe, though excessively large versions of other types of objects are also known. The five are so similar that they may have been made in the same workshop, in which case this one could have been imported to Britain. It dates to 1450-1300 BC and measures 70.9 centimetres (27.9 in) long with a mass of 2.37 kilograms (5.2 lb), making it "ridiculously large and unwieldy" and clearly never intended for practical use, which the lack of holes for fitting to a handle also shows. It was probably either a votive offering
Votive offering
A votive deposit or votive offering is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for broadly religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally made in order to gain favor with supernatural...
or a store of value in some other way. It is currently on display in Room 50 at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.