Brooches were very rare in Western Europe, if, indeed, they had been invented, during the Bronze Age.
Fig. 39.—Bronze dagger-blade from Ireland, 13 of the actual size.
No English specimens have been discovered which can with certainty be referred to this period. Almost the same may be said as regards the Swiss Bronze Age lake-villages. They are said, on the contrary, to be common in Sweden. The earliest form resembled what is now known as a safety-pin. Silver, lead,[1] and zinc appear to have been unknown, or very rare, during the Bronze Age. Glass beads were in use, but no vessels of glass have yet been discovered; in the same manner there are barbarous tribes now which are well supplied with European beads, but which possess no glass vessels.
Fig. 40.—Bronze knife from Denmark, one-half of the actual size.
The weapons and ornaments of the Bronze Age are all cast, and show considerable skill in metallurgy.[2] Three modes of casting were employed. One was that in a mould, either of stone or metal. Of course in this case the mould was necessarily in two halves, and the line of junction was generally visible, as fig. 61, representing a celt, which has evidently been cast in this manner. This specimen was found in Kent, and presented to me by Sir George Dasent. It is clear, however, that such an object as the knife in fig. 43 could not have been cast in this manner. Neither were
