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Iron Sword of the Bronze Age , Mask Type
Ca. 10th century BC

Item: Iron Sword
Type/model: Iron Sword called Mask.
Very special item, extremely rare.
Historical period: Iron Age III. 10th century BC
Culture: Bronze Age 
Material: Iron.
Preparation: using the forging technique.

Description: Sword with a one-piece hilt and blade, blade with parallel edges converging at the tip. Without apparent central ribs or channels, it has a certain flattened elevation in the center of the blade. Guard, rectangular T-shaped columnar hilt (p. 184, Oscar White Muscarella, Bronze and Iron, Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, 1988) with three grooves on each side, rectangular section, with a lowered interior where in ancient times it would have been filled with wood or bone forming both handles. The handle preserves several sections of iron nails that would have held the handles in place. The handle is finished in a half-moon, preserving a certain resemblance to the preceding bronze models.

Dimensions: Overall length (blade and hilt): 55 cm. Grip width (between grooves): 2.9 cm. Crescent grip width (pommel): 7.6 cm. Maximum width (central part of the blade): 3.5 cm. Blade length: 43.8 cm. Weight: 464 gr.

Condition: good condition. Handle preserves some of the iron nails for holding the blades. No restoration or repair. With specific conservation treatment for old iron carried out by specialists. Dark iron color with inlaid areas. The sword is intact and in excellent condition. A beautiful example of high quality forging . Some small sections are missing due to loss of material in ancient times on the edge, body and handle. The blade has marks and dents that make its use at the time visible. Piece in perfect condition.

The Mask type iron swords are little known, and very rare,”. These long, straight swords are found in  royal tombs. Only fifty swords with similar characteristics are known, and they have great similarities with the well-known and well-studied bronze swords. No doubt these types of objects were not only made to be used in battle, but to show status or as votive weapons.

The traditional period for this model of swords is 750-650 BC, although the latest dating by radiocarbon analysis places them at 1094 BC. C. +/- 60 years, data from the Royal Ontario Museum and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, corroborating the estimates of Oscar White Muscarella of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.

References: Bronze and Iron, Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, p. 184, Oscar White Muscarella, 1988; Vanden Berghe's excavations Iron swords history museum in Brussels, Belgium, and Museum of man.

EU sale only.

See details and dimensions in attached photos. In good condition. Acquired in 2000 from a specialized gallery. A copy of the certificate of authenticity and a copy of the catalog are sent with the object/s.

Due to new laws on the export of archaeological cultural goods we have decided NOT to sell outside the EU.
Shipments with insurance/declared and certified value.

Copies of the purchase information and authenticity are sent with the item/s. The Seller can prove that the lot was obtained legally, declaration of provenance seen by Catawiki.
Registered shipping. The seller will arrange for any necessary permits, such as an export license if necessary. The seller will inform the buyer of the status of the permit if this takes more than a few days.

1000 BC - Germany

Bronze Age Iron (cast/wrought) Sword - 55 cm

Archaeology

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1960-1970

1650-1700

1850-1900

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1950-1960

Han Dynasty (206 B.C.- 220 A.D.)

Independence (1947-present)

Liao Dynasty (916-1125)

Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)

Tang Dynasty (618-907)

Cretaceous, Lower (145 - 100.5 million years)

Jurassic, Upper (163.5 - 145 million years)

Devonian (419.2 - 358.9 million years)

Ordovician (485.4 - 443.8 million years)

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Bronze Age Iron (cast/wrought) Sword - 55 cm

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