Knife

Item number Sf537 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

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Data
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Description

A flaring cast metal blade with a three part handle composed of two profile birds sharing a single tail. The diamond shaped tail has a round hole in it. Incised lines follow the structure of the handle design. The blade and handle are slightly asymmetrical. The casting is rough and there is a gap in the back of one bird head.

History Of Use

Cast copper knives of this type are common to both Vicus (Disselhoff) and Moche cultures (Donnan). Modelled ceramics frequently show such knives used in ritual decapitation (Moser). The hole in the handle is probably for suspending it by a cord from the body of the user (Jones).