Bronze Age sword

Prehistory

This prehistoric sword would have been a lethal tool of combat. It is a Bronze Age sword and one of the earliest examples of craftmanship in metal by mankind. It was found at Lochdar, South Uist in 1865. Bronze Age swords appeared from around the 17th century BC, however, this object was likely forged in the final centuries of the 2nd millennium when the swords became common place in Britain. They were replaced by iron swords during the early part of the 1st millennium BC. The sword is part of the Carmichael Collection. Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912) was a pioneering Victorian folklorist who collected extensively throughout the Highlands and Islands. Parts of the Carmichael Collection was gifted to the museum, while his archive is in the care of Edinburgh University.

Material: bronze

Size: L 610 mm

Sources: Carmichael Collection