EARLY MAN wrought. The mid-rib is rounded. The surface of the implement is corroded in places, and the edge also chipped. It is just over 9 in. in length, the tang is 3 in. long, and the greatest width i J in. Tanged daggers are extremely rare, being known chiefly from the Arreton Down deposit, in the Isle of Wight. There, in 1735—7, some nine blades of the class (though differing in detail) were found near Newport, upon the Down, with other objects of the same material.^ Though rare, the geographical distribution of this class is somewhat wide. A specimen comes from Matlock, Derbyshire, a second from Burwell Fen (both in the possession of Sir John Evans), another from Swaffham Fen, Norfolk (now in the Cambridge Museum), and another from Plymstock, in Devon. Ireland and the Continent also have yielded examples.' The class is difficult to distinguish from a type of spear-head, to which Sir John Evans and Mr. Franks seem disposed to assign it.' A fine offensive weapon, sharp at both edges and point, was found at Winmarleigh in association with three celts previously described. The details of its discovery are somewhat dubious, but it is said to have been ' found in a box near Garstang ' with the other implements. Its length is 9I in. over all, with a 7I in. blade. In width near the handle it measures i f in. ; it then narrows slightly and recurves outwards, as shown in the photo, Plate V. No. 11, measuring if in. before turning again to the point. The handle was made firm by a longitudinal ridge on the tang which it enclosed. The photograph on Plate IV. No. 7 illustrates a third dagger of interesting character, though much smaller in size. It was found with an urn and stone hammer (Plate II.-5) in a tumulus at Highfield Lane, Middleton, Winwick. The end of the handle or tang is broken near and partly through a rivet-hole. Over all the weapon measures 4I in., with a blade of length 3 in., and breadth near the handle of ijin. In shape, as may be seen from the illustrations, it differs from the foregoing. From its association it seems to be definitely a relic of the Bronze Age, and it is characteristic also of the deposits placed with interments early in the Bronze Age. A bronze dagger, with spear-head and arrow-head, is vaguely reported from burials on Lancaster Moor. (c) Spear-heads. — Three excellent spear-heads are preserved in the museums of Preston and Warrington.' The former is shown in fig. 22. It is the plain leaf-shaped type, with long socket and a rivet-hole for fixing the shaft. It measures 9 in. over all, with a 6| in. blade, which is if in. across at its widest point. The mouth of the socket is in. in diameter. It is recorded to have been found with many other remains, human and f a Fig. 22. — Bronze Spear-head FROM Preston, i : 2. (Preston Museum.) ^ Archceolo^a xxxvi. 326.
- Mane. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Trans, v. 527, No. 6.
235 3 Evans, Bronze Imp. p. 260.
