Iron Age Celtic La Tene Dagger

1ST CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.

13 3/4 in. (525 grams total, 35 cm high including stand).

Featuring a gently curved single-edged iron blade and one-sided fuller, curved handle with knot pommel; mounted on a custom-made display stand.

Provenance

Dutch art market.
Private collection of K.S., Cologne, Germany, acquired 1996.

Literature

Cf. Tasic, N., Scordisci and the native population in the Middle Danube Region, Belgrade, 1992, nos.84-90, and especially no.88, for similar specimen in iron; Various, I Daci, Catalogue of the exhibition, Milan, 1997, cat.113.

Footnotes

One of the military insignia of a Celtic warrior was the war-knife, usually between 33 and 35 cm long. For example, in the collection of Celtic military equipment from Galish-Lovachka, the archaeologists have found a short sword with an X-shaped handle (l = 41 cm), two middle La Tène swords (72.5 and 75 cm long), 12 large curved knives, 27 spearheads, two javelin heads, 14 arrowheads, and nine iron chain belts for hanging a sword. The war-knife was also used for hunting, as a spare weapon, or to cut the throat of an enemy in a surprise attack.

CONDITION

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LOT 0250