Monument record BRD 064 - River Little Ouse

IA iron sword or dagger blade, length 33 cms, average width 3 cms (length of blade to shoulder is 22cm and length of tang is 11cm) was presented to Moyses Hall Museum in 1984 by the finder (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s). Found near Wilton Bridge, Brandon, from dredgings of the Little Ouse, with a metal detector (S1).
The tang seems to be covered with the remains of an iron hilt for half its length but Peter Northover (Oxford) suggests this could be the result of corrosion. He does suggest, however, that raised sections on the blade could be traces of a scabbard.
The blade was examined by Doctor I M Stead of the British Museum on 21 June 1984. Jean MacDonald of the Museum of London, comments "Doctor Stead confirms that it is IA, probably late Hallstatt or early La Tene(?). The blade is narrow for a La Tene sword, and it is difficult to tell whether it was a sword or a dagger. Possible parallels are the Museum of London sword A13918 (blade length 435mm, overall length 530mm, width 31mm) and dagger 29.59" (R1).
Note another (Sax?) iron sword from Little Ouse, BRD 050 and other IA finds in same area - BRD 056 (weaving comb, pottery), BRD 010 (coin, pottery), BRD 032 (pottery), BRD 007 & 008 (coins) & BRD 012 & 034 (scatters).
Formerly in Brandon, now in Lakenheath parish.