Gairnshiel

A late Bronze Age sword, which was found in the Gairnshiel area in 1826, is now held at Braemar Castle. The sword measures about 0.6m in length and may retain the remains of a wood or leather hilt.

Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project

NJ20SE 38 c. 29 00

A leaf-shaped bronze sword found 'near Gairnshiel' in 1826 is held at Braemar Castle. It is complete apart from having lost the end of the tang, and surface pitting may indicate an attempt at cleaning.

Its measurements are as follows: length 604mm; max width (blade) 43mm; width below shoulders 35mm; width at shoulders 50mm; maximum width (tang) 23mm; length of tang c. 41mm; thickness (midline) 6-7mm; thickness (shoulders) 8mm; thickness (tang) c. 4mm. The weight was measured (on kitchen scales) as c. 20 oz.

In form, the sword swells in the classic form to a greatest width some one-third of the way up from the tip, and has a slight but distinct midline thickening. The surface is pitted virtually all over in a matt, granular greeny grey/brown colour. The tang bears slight patches of brown, glossy material in the angles of the side flanges and on the outside of one flange; these are possibly the remains of a wood or leather hilt. The blade edge is sharp with a (very) occasional nick. The hilt tang bears an imperforate rivet hole, of similar form to a punch-hole which has not beeen completed; this is deeper on one face and slightly off the midline. There is a completed rivet-hole at the top of the tang, and through this runs the fracture, the surface of which is similarly patinated. There is a single rivet-hole on each shoulder; neither is perfectly circular but is rather eccentric or skewed in profile. Immediately below the shoulders (2cm) the edges of the blade are set back in a slight notch.

(Photographs and drawings by IAGS/MG noted).

NMRS, MS/712/41; inspected (I A G Shepherd) 3 September 1987.

Press and Journal 11 September 1987.