All the way from the Institute of Archaeology comes....
A Socketed Bronze Spearhead
How did it get here?
This spearhead was donated to UCL's institute of Archaeology by Maurice Scott in 1918.
All we know is that it came from Thessalonika in mainland Greece.
We don't know if it was found on an archaeological excavation or if it was stumbled upon by accident.
Interesting stuff right, wanna learn more?
There's no need to hop on a plane or even to get on a boat to see artefacts from Ancient Greece, instead you can pop round the corner to the British Museum.
This museum has one of the largest and most famous collections on Classical Antiquity and it is free!
Check out their website here:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/departments/greece_and_rome.aspx
Crazy Weird Fact
The most famous King of Mycenea - King Agamemnon - was murdered by his wife Klytemnestra and her lover in a bath tub.
Today there are hotels all over Greece with the unfortunate name of 'Klytemnestra Rooms with Bath'!
Check out the Mycenaean warriors on this vase - fierce!
Acknowledgements
With special thanks to UCL's Institute of Archaeology for the professional photographs of the spearhead
What is the spearhead's story?
Academics, experts and historians have helped us find out that this spearhead is probably from the Mycenaean Age in Greece, 1600 BC to 1000 BC.
The Mycenaeans fancied themselves the best warriors in the world. They were fierce fighters, kitted out with dangerous weapons. They fought many different wars and famously won the Trojan War. Pottery from the Mycenaean Age shows these battle scenes.
The Kings in this period built massive palaces with strong fortifications. In fact, an excavation found a six metre wide defensive wall - you think they were protected enough?!
What don't we know about the spearhead? Are there ambiguities?
We know little about when, with what, or where the spearhead was found. This uncertainty causes problems: how can we know the function of an object if it is found outside of its original context?
If we knew the spearhead was found on a battle site, we could guess it was used as a weapon, but what if the spearhead was found in excellent condition? Its tip is still sharp and deadly. It looks almost unused. What then could the spearhead have been used as?
- Perhaps it was decorative, symbolic of a person's wealth or status.
- Perhaps it was used for spiritual or religious purposes, it could have been found in a burial and used to protect the deceased on their journey to the underworld.
We think, we guess, we wish we knew what the spearhead was! Is what we are seeing fact or fiction? We must carefully examine museum objects, showing awareness of the fact that often little is known about their origins.
Courtesy of UCL Institute of Archaeology
Boring but need to know facts
|
Catalogue number |
UCL1918 |
|
Weight |
317.9 grams
|
|
Shoulders of blade (length) |
365 mm |
|
Blade with midrib (width) |
39 mm |
|
Socket base (thickness) |
10.7 mm |
Admire it!
This bronze spearhead has changed colour, 3000 years ago it would have been an amazing shiny goldish colour, but today it is covered in a spotted green patina.
A patina is a form of corrosion that affects bronze. It is the result of a lifetime of interactions with the harsh elements of nature - wind, water, fire and soil.