The bronze age and the Celtic world - Universal History Library

90
THE BRONZE AGE AND THE CELTIC WORLD
where the diminished thickness begins abruptly
spindle-shaped.
FIG. 15.
SPINDLE-
SHAPED
SECTION.
In other cases the section is
Type D, as has been noted, closely resembles Type C, but the curves of
the oval, which were fairly true in Type C, have been much flattened. In
other respects it differs httle from the more developed examples of Type C.
The spindle-shaped section appears to be more common.
In Type E the convexity of the butt has almost disappeared ; the tang
and the butt blend more thoroughly, which makes the junction a larger hollow
curve than in the previous types. The sides of the butt are ahnost if not quite
straight, and the only trace of the original convexity is to be found in the
lower part of the butt, which terminates in a beak or nose. The flanges of
the tang are tending to disappear, and in many cases are nothing but an
irregular thickening of the parts nearest to the outside. This type, as we shall
see, is widely distributed, and has developed many local variants, which can readily be
recognised but not easily described. The blade in this type, especially in the west, usually
displays the characteristic widening two thirds of the way
down the blade, which has given rise to the term leaf-
shaped sword. The lines parallel to the edge are always
relatively near to it, in most cases very near, and the blades
are usually flatter and narrower, though the spindle-shaped
section stiU occurs.
Type F is that described by Dechelette as Proto-
Hallstatt, and in many respects resembles Type G. The
sides of the butt are straight or shghtly concave, and the
head of the tang expands into a T-shaped form. The
flange has entirely disappeared and the rivet-holes in the
centre of the tang are frequently, though not invariably
replaced by a long slot. The conspicuous feature of this
type and of Type G, though it may occasionaUy be absent
from Type F, is that the cutting edge of the blade does
FIG. 16.
THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE BLADE
BEGINS AN INCH OR TWO
BELOW THE BUTT.
not begin for an inch or two below the butt. The iUustrations will explain this better
than any words can do, but the point to note is that this portion, between the butt and