Archaeologists hail ‘incredible’ Norfolk Bronze Age discovery

Dr Tim Pestell with the Bronze Age dirk (large dagger) which was ceremonially bent when it was made. It's the only other British example (which was also found in Norfolk) is in the British Museum. Photo : Steve Adams

An ‘amazing’ Bronze Age discovery has been revealed

A spectacular new Norfolk treasure has been unveiled - after years of being used as a doorstop.

The 3,500-year-old Rudham Dirk, a ceremonial Middle Bronze Age dagger, was first ploughed up near East Rudham more than a decade ago. But the landowner didn’t realise what it was and was using it to prop open his office door.

And the bronze treasure even came close to being thrown in a skip, but luckily archaeologists identified it in time.

Now the dirk has been bought for Norfolk for close to £41,000 and is now on display in Norwich Castle Museum.

Dr John Davies, Chief Curator of Norfolk Museums Service, said: “This is one of the real landmark discoveries.”

The dirk - a kind of dagger - was never meant to be used as a weapon and was deliberately bent when it was made as an offering to the gods.[...] edp24.co.uk


Actualización. The giant Bronze Age ritual dagger found in a field in Norfolk – Museum Crush

1/2. The Rudham Dirk, an oversized dagger that was ritually bent and deposited. © Norfolk Museum Service

 
The Rudham Dirk, an oversize Bronze Age ritual dagger that was famously used for years as a doorstop by a Norfolk farmer

It is 800 years older than the ancient city of Rome and is even older than the Pharaoh Tutankhaten, but this ceremonial Bronze Age dagger, which is thought to be about 3,500 years old, was found during ploughing in a Norfolk field in 2002...