Object type
antennae sword
Culture/period
Materials
iron
Technique
forging
Mint
Production date
-650 / -575
Current location
MASPG
Archaeological site
Camallera
Township
Saus (Europa, Espanya, Catalunya, Girona, Alt Empordà)
Dimensions
Long. enrotllada: 240 mm; ampl. enrotllada: 180 mm
Description
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This sword of antennas appeared near the old lake of Camallera (Camallera and Llampaies, Alt Empordà) as a result of a fortuitous find around 1947. The swords and daggers of antennas are called thus by the peculiar form of the end of the handle: a metal bar, iron in this case, bent in the form of a crescent. The Camallera sword has a double edge, 85 cm long and 4 cm wide.
Together with the sword, hand-made ceramic fragments were collected, decorated with ribs, and also different bronze and iron weapons. If, as it seems, all these elements were part of the same tomb, this would be what is called a "warrior tomb" in archaeological literature. The chronology of the site is dated in the Early Iron Age, between the 7th and 6th centuries BC. When the owner of the sword died and was cremated, his distinctive weapon was amortized, folding it in a forge as at Camallera, or heating and drilling it with a nail so that it could not be reused and, together with other weapons and objects, it accompanied him to the grave.
© Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Girona
Omeka ID
3166