Sword
Image © National Museums Scotland
Name/Title
SwordEntry/Object ID
X.FRA 139Description
Iron sword with bone hilt, doubled up. 80-100 AD. The grip has ridges and flutings.It terminates at the upper end in an ovoid pommel.Use
Swords were used by the Roman army for close combat. The ridges on the hilt would have prevented it from slipping in the hand.Context
Found in the Pit at the Baths during James Curle's excavations. This iron sword was probably deliberately bent and may have been used as a religious sacrifice. The blade has been doubled back, and the point is missing. The hilt is damaged and incomplete. Offerings to gods and deities in Roman and Iron Age traditions were often of special materials, treated in special ways or put in special places, such as water. Prestigious weapons such as swords are sometimes found broken, probably sacrificed as part of a ceremony.Collection
National Museums ScotlandCategory
Sword
Military Equipment & Weaponry
Acquisition
Accession
X.FRA 139Source (if not Accessioned)
National Museums ScotlandMade/Created
Time Period
Late 1st centuryEthnography
Cultural Region
Continent
EuropeCulture/Tribe
Romano British