Eighth Century Socketed Iron Arrowhead – Saxon

Description

Heading : Eighth Century Socketed Iron Arrowhead – Saxon
Date : 700 – 800 AD
Period : The Dark Ages
Origin : unknown
Decoration : On the basis of the categorisation formalised by the Museum of London to identify arrowheads of antiquity. this is a ‘type 3’ design; a single piece. flat triangular blade on an extended conical tang. hollow towards the base to allow for insertion of the arrow shaft
Size :  overall length 6.8 cm (tang 4.6 cm) – width 1.3 cm
Condition : somewhat worn. with corroded edges to the blade; the tang is sound. with irregular losses at the extremity of the hollow shaft-sleeve. and the whole is covered in rust
Restoration : None
Weight :  8 grams

Note : The specific origin of found arrowheads is almost impossible to state with any certainty. This is particularly relevant for the period to which this example has been dated. when “England” was in the very early stages of being crudely fashioned from a volatile. molten ferment of disparate kingdoms and statelets. Roving war-bands would vie for supremacy over neighbours on a regional rather than national basis but – even so – an arrow forged on the north east coast in Bernica or Deira could be loosed in anger in Rheged. on the other side of the Pennines. or to the south in Lindsey. At best. we can say this is of Saxon heritage. more with regard to the dating period than for any geographic relevance – but who knows. it may even have ended up on these shores having been made in Saxony itself and brought ashore as part of the inventory of an invading force. Such romantic though entirely speculative notions can only add to the resonance and attraction of such an outwardly simple item.

The property of a Sussex collector