Posted on 02/28/2021 10:05:10 PM PST by 11th_VA
One of the most spectacular bronze age weapons discovered in northern Europe has been found by a metal detectorist on a Jersey beach.
The perfectly preserved 35cm long spear head made from copper alloy was found buried point down at the low water mark on one of the lowest tides of the year.
It is in such good condition that the finder Jay Cornick thought it must be a modern fishing spear. He put it in his bag and didn’t think much more about it until he showed it to archaeologists from Jersey Heritage.
The spearhead was found last August but the find has only now been made public after radio carbon dating confirmed it is at least 3,000 years old. Remains of the wooden haft which were still in the socket of the spear head also confirmed it had been made from field maple, which was commonly used for hafting tools and weapons in the late Bronze Age.
No similar spear head has been found in the Channel Islands although a handful of similar examples have been found in France which is just 14 miles from Jersey. Most bronze age spear heads discovered in the islands have been much smaller and part of hoards that were deliberately broken and buried as part of some long forgotten ritual.
Mr Cornick, 34, an electrical engineer, had detected on the beach near Gorey Harbour in the east of the island many times before making the find. He said: “It was very close to the harbour wall. Down on that part of the beach we usually find a lot of musket balls and old bullets and that’s what it sounded like. It was just about the first signal I got, I was in two minds whether to dig it but I did anyway...
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
It is bronze and I think most likely was cast, then finished by polishing...................
I am. All I ever find is a few coins and beer can pull tabs from the 70’s.................
Centimeters. So... this is JERSEY Jersey.
It’s what is not in there. Oxygen.
An assault spear lost in a boating accident
How’d it get to Jersey from all the way over in Europe? Ohhh...THAT Jersey! Never mind.
If he's smart he'll shovel and shut up!
True, yes!
So I opened the link, read the article than scrolled down to the comments. This one caught my eye:
"Whatever this artifact is, you can't deny it's age unless you can prove otherwise. There was a group of natives here before the Berring crossing. This angers many white Americans because it destroys their argument for nobody being native here."
I started to reply to the comment, as I can't imagine why I or any white should be angered by that. Then I noticed the comment was from four years ago.
It is in outstanding condition.
And still deadly!......................
Good point...
“Bronze Age” and all ... lol!
But still, some Metal smith probably cranked out dozens of those spear heads, rather than it being a one-off creation. A craftsman for sure.
That is crazy luck !!!!
That is interesting. The town historian said the founding families named the village “The Jersey Settlement” because it reminded them of home. But the next little town over was settled by Germans for the same reason.
We are also close to beaches....on big muddy river that is.
It’s some nice work!
I didn’t realize this showed a spear lying horizontal across something larger until I looked at the article itself.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.