Beschreibung:

BRONZE AGE BRITISH EWART PARK TYPE SWORD 800-700 BC A waisted blade with thick central rib, inset ricassi, angled straight-edged shoulders, thick flanges to the outer edges of the hilt, T-shaped terminal; two median rivet holes to the septum, one with rivet in situ and location for a third, unopened; two rivet holes to the shoulder and four above, also unopened; the edge deliberately and heavily notched. 469 grams, 45cm (17 3/4"). Fine condition, deliberately sacrificed, bent in antiquity, tip of hilt repaired. [No Reserve] Provenance Ex Sir Richard Ground (1949-2014) Collection, Derbyshire, UK; acquired Valued History, Norwich, 2010. Literature Cf. Evans, J. The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland, London, 1881, item 345; Savory, H.N. Guide Catalogue of the Bronze Age Collections,Cardiff, 1980, item 249; Burgess, C. & Colquhoun, I. The Swords of Britain, Prähistorische Bronzefunde, Ab. IV, vol. 5, Munich, 1988, p.55ff. Footnotes The sword has been deliberately 'sacrificed', put beyond use in the world of men, as part of some ritual of closure, probably associated with the death of the owner. The blade has been bent and the edges of the lower third of the blade deliberately notched, perhaps with an axe. The hilt was bent over at a sharp angle; Sir Richard attempted to straighten it and in so doing broke the terminal off at the upper rivet hole. He later repaired it and attempted to lessen the angle. Each piece from the collection is accompanied by Sir Richard's personal illustrated catalogue sheets which describe the piece fully, give details and circumstances of his acquisition, academic references and general notes. The eminent lawyer Sir Richard Ground, OBE (1949 - 2014), a graduate of Lincoln College Oxford, was called to the bar at Gray's Inn in 1975. After a period spent specialising in media law, he was, in 1983, appointed Crown Counsel in the Cayman Islands, a position which he held until 1987 when he assumed the role of Attorney General. He served as Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1998 to 2004, and then as Chief Justice of Bermuda until his retirement in 2012. Highly regarded in legal circles for his decisiveness and impeccable integrity, he was awarded the OBE in 1991 in recognition of his services to the Cayman Islands, and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2012 for services to justice in Bermuda. He had a passion for the natural world and worked alongside his wife, fellow lawyer Lady Ground, to found the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, as well as publishing several volumes of wildlife photography. Sir Richard was a keen and knowledgable collector of both coins and ancient weaponry. His collection of Roman, Byzantine, English, and European coins fetched exceptional prices when sold by Spink in September 2014. It is with pride that we are able to offer his collection of Bronze Age weaponry for auction. Date Thursday 12th February 2015 - Saturday 14th February 2015, Antiquities & Coin Catalogue Auction TimeLine Auctions Ltd arranges printed catalogue rostrum Auctions, eAuctions and Timed Auctions where we offer antiquities, ancient artefacts / artifacts, antiques, collectibles, coins, medals and books for public sale.