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Archaeological Collection

Solid-hilted swords

Solid-hilted swords
Item name:Solid-hilted swords
Dating:13th.-12th century BC
Material:Bronze
Findspot:River Ljubljanica
On display:The Earliest Stories from the Crossroads

Description

These solid-hilted swords were unearthed in the River Ljubljanica at Blatna Brezovica and Bevke. The example with a plain hilt dates to the 13th century BC, the one with three ribs on the grip to the 12th century BC. Both finds mark the southernmost edge of distribution areas of their respective types. They are most common in the Upper Danube Basin and the eastern Alps, where they came to light as water finds or goods in rich warrior graves.

1. Solid-hilted sword (with three ribs), bronze, l. 55.5 cm, 12th century BC, River Ljubljanica at Bevke, Inv. No. V 4190.
2. Solid-hilted sword (with a plain grip), bronze, l. 54 cm, 13th century BC, River Ljubljanica at Blatna Brezovica, Inv. No. V 655.

Further reading

Turk, Peter and Turk, Matija, 2019: The Earliest Stories from the Crossroads, Ljubljana, Fig. 231, pp. 184, 248.

On display in the Permanent Exhibition