Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

?blade end is slightly pinched.
2934 Fig 111 SF BKC 5953, K541 L125. Make-up. Period 2. A
two-piece handle with waisted end clearly related to similar
one-piece handles (2921-6). As with one-piece examples
the upper end is waisted and the lower pinched on the plane
of the blade. Each plate has a raised rectangular central
panel decorated with deeply incised crosses and transverse
grooves and with marginal mouldings. The handle is fixed by
three copper-alloy rivets (or possibly iron rivets with copperalloy
caps). Length 78.0mm, maximum width 14.0mm.
(These measurements do not include the attached iron
corrosion products.) For other two-piece handles of similar
type see Greep forthcoming a. This handle is Claudian-
Neronian in date.
2935 Fig 111 SF BKC 5111 (C), V250 F59. Slot? Period 5? A handle
of two convex plates fixed by two iron rivets. Part of the blade
survives. Each plate is decorated with panels of trellis work
and transverse grooves. A date contemporary with that of its
context is likely for this piece.
2936 Fig 111 SF CPS 963, 842 L115. Make-up. Period 4. One
convex plate of a two-piece curved handle of red deer antler.
The piece is roughly sawn and trimmed, and may be
unfinished. Two large ?rivet holes pierce the plate. Length
64.5mm, maximum width 25.0mm.
COPPER-ALLOY HANDLES (Fig 112; 2938-
2939)
Both the following handles could be for knives or
razors (Waugh and Goodburn 1972, 124).
2938 Fig 112 SF BKC 3011, J38 L4. Dump. Period 5b. A heavy
handle with parts of the iron tang surviving. There are two
cut-outs on each face, one horizontal, one vertical, through
which the tang can be seen. These cut-outs may have held
some form of decoration (ibid). Maximum length 73.0mm,
maximum width 22.0mm. A similar form exists in ivory and
dates to the 1st century (Greep forthcoming a).
2939 Fig 112 SF BKC 5294, V234 L21. Dump. Period 4. A lighter
handle with hollow suspension loop and cut-out. Part of the
iron tang survives towards the lower end. Maximum length
69.0mm, maximum width 18.0mm.
Fig 112 Copper-alloy handles (1:1) Fig 113 Knife blades (1:2)
110