File:An illustration of a socketed side-looped spearhead, dating to the Middle Bronze Age between c. 1800 - 1100 BC. (FindID 102651).jpg

English: An incomplete cast copper alloy socketed side-looped spearhead, dating from the Middle Bronze Age between c. 1800-1100 BC (length: 140mm; width at blade: 23.1mm; width at side-loops: 17.8mm; diameter of socket: 14.8mm; weight: 61.92g). The remains of the blade are largely complete down one side but corroded and broken down the other, as well as the thin cutting edge being clearly well-defined with slightly tapering blade wings. The midrib is highly arched to a pointed top, making the central rib appear as a sharp diamond shape in a sectioned view. The cylindrical socket expands down to where the majority of the original edge still exists, although slightly broken in some areas. At approximately 12mm from the socket terminal, the remains of the spearhead’s side loops (one of them worn but complete) appear with a length of 16mm. There does not appear to be any wood or material inside the socket. Overall, the spearhead is slightly worn but in a fair condition. However, there do appear to be numerous scratches along the artefact as well as the surface being coated in a substance making it difficult to identify the colour of the patina. There only appears to be a small amount of bronze disease as well as iron staining in areas, particularly around the side loops.

A similar artefact is illustrated in Watson’s ‘Catalogue of British and European Prehistoric Metalwork in Birmingham City Museums’, 1993, ref no 87, found around the Kingsbury area, Warwickshire. Another example is shown in Moore & Rowland’s ‘Bronze Age Metalwork in Salisbury Museum’, 1972, Plate XI, ref nos 57 (found at Winterslow) and no 59 (found at Cholderton). Both these examples have been classified as Greenwell & Brewis Class IV types. Additionally, similar examples are again illustrated in Pearce’s ‘The Bronze Age Metalwork of South Western Britain’, 1983, Plate 12, ref no 97 found at Porthallack Cove and Plate 53, ref no 415b found at Hambledon Hill.

These socketed side-looped spearheads were popular during the Middle Bronze Age in south England as well as local north Welsh industries producing their own at the same time (Savory, 1980).