Notice of a small bronze blade found in a cinerary urn at Balblair, Sutherlandshire, also two small bronze plates : in the collections of His Grace the Duke of Sutherland / by John Alex. Smith.

Date:
[1868?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notice of a small bronze blade found in a cinerary urn at Balblair, Sutherlandshire, also two small bronze plates : in the collections of His Grace the Duke of Sutherland / by John Alex. Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    PUOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 18C8. was presented to His Grace the Duke of Sutherland, and to his kindness, through the Eev. J. M. Joass, I am indebted for being able to exhibit it. The bronze, which is a good deal chipped at the edges, measures about 4| inches in length by 1| inch in greatest breadth; it has a narrow part or handle about one inch in length by about a quarter of an inch in breadth, and gradually expands from it into a somewhat sharp and pointed leaf- shaped and double-edged blade. The edges of this leaf-shaped or oval portion are very thin and sliarp (fig. 2), and running along the centre of the blade there is a thicker raised portion or rib which measures 2. 1. Fig. 1. —Bronze Blade found in a large Cinerary Urn at Balblair, Sutherlaudsliirt-. (Full size.) Fig 2.—Transverse Section of Blade, showing its midrib and very thin edges. about three-eightlis of an inch in breadth in the middle, and tapers gradually to a point towards eacli extremity; it is ornamented with simple incised patterns of oblique and crossing lines. Altogether this implement, which is composed of a fine yellow bronze, is very peculiar, and, as far as I am aware, almost unique in pattern. It seems much too slender, thin, and delicate for a spear or arrow head, and appears to me rather to be allied to the class of small bronze implements, of a closely corresponding size, which are believed to have been articles connected with tiie toilet, and used possibly as depilatory instruments.' It is pecu- ' See Proc. Soc. Autiq Scot. vol. v. p 84. viil. vi. j'. :!o7.
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