Blairshinnoch

NJ66SW 2 c. 63 62.

Three leaf-shaped Late Bronze Age swords, one found in a moss near Blairshinnock, the other two of unknown provenance, are in Banff Museum. A further sword, found in 1842 in the Boar's Moss (NJ 631 618 on OS 6" map, 1904), was presented to Elgin Museum by Mrs Gordon Duff in 1945. This may be the sword described in 1842 as Roman, found in the bogs of Reattie, and lodged in the armoury of Duff House.

J Anderson and G F Black 1888; W Henderson 1938; J M Coles 1962; New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845; Information from Exhibit Card, Elgin Museum.

No local information regarding the find-spot of these Late Bronze Age swords were found. The three examples in Banff Museum are still there, but the sword at Elgin Museum was not located. The custodian believes it is in store, but was unwilling to locate it.

Visited by OS (NKB) 26 January 1968.

The rivetted bronze sword found in 1842 in Boar's Moss is in Elgin Museum.

Visited by OS (AA) 17 May 1971; Information from Elgin Accession Register.

178. (Wilburton type - variant B). Single find. Sword in two pieces, L. 64.50 cm; Term. w. 3.70cm; Sh. w. 5.60cm; M.b.w. 4.35cm; messy black patina, one side free of patina except for hilt (cleaned?); rivets, 2:2, one in situ. Elgin Mus. (1945.1).

511. (Ewart Park type - Northern step 2). Single find. Sword with point missing. L. 54.60cm, Term.w. 3.00cm, Sh.w. 5.00cm; M.b.w. 3.55cm; well preserved, well cast, black patina on hilt only, blade clean, rivets, 2:2, none in situ. Banff Mus.

PK Schmidt and CB Burgess 1981

There os no evidence for these swords having been found together; they are most probably single finds rather than a hoard.

Information from NMRS (RJCM) 11 September 1989