Find Spot record 7003 - Bronze Age Sword from Beeston

<1> Chester City Council Archaeology Service, 2007, The Past Uncovered, Garner, D. (Newsletter). SCH6045.

The hilt and lower half of a late Bronze Age sword was discovered during renovation work on a listed building in the Beeston Area. It is a "Ewart" type leaf sword dating to about the 8th century BC, so -called because it is similar to those found in a hoard at Ewart park in Northumberland. The sword measures about 400mm in length ( a complete one would have been about 650mm long) and was found close to Beeston Castle where we know there was a late Bronze age defended hilltop settlement and evidence for Bronze working. Late Bronze ages swords are generally rare in Britain and is this only one of 4 examples found in Cheshire.

This sword appears to have been deliberately broken in antiquity, possibly implying a ritual offering. Many bronze age swords found in Britain appear to have been deliberately destroyed before deposition, possibly because it was considered taboo to reuse an enemy's weapon.