Dr Steven Snape on the Soldier’s Sword

Here Dr Steven Snape takes a closer look at the sword from the Garstang Museum of Archaeology.

Compare Steven’s approach to your own. It is interesting to hear Steven speak, as he goes through the possibilities of what this weapon could be used for. It is strong and relatively heavy, and has a distinctive shape, all of which leads Steven to suggestions concerning its use. Steven also notes that it is rather ornate, and so may have been used more as a ceremonial weapon, away from the battlefield.

The process that Steven goes through is familiar to all archaeologists, that of looking at clues and slotting together what is known to arrive at the function of an object.

I hope you enjoyed engaging with this object, researching possibilities and questioning interpretations. There will be other opportunities in this course to use the same method of archaeological enquiry to surmise what various objects from the ancient Near East were used for.