Three thousand-year-old spearhead found

Dec 5 2008 By Patricia Lewis

spearhead

A 3,500 year old Bronze Age spearhead has been discovered in a stream in Dumfriesshire.

The ancient weapon-tip was found in the waters of the Mennock Pass, close to Wanlockhead.

It was found wedged in a rock crevice beneath the waters surface.

It is believed to date back to between the 15^th and 12^th century BC.

The spearhead, which was originally found in 2007 will now be catalogued at Dumfries Museum where it will soon go on display.

A spokesperson for the museum said: “It is a small side looped spearhead. This is the most widespread of the Middle Bronze Age spearhead types in Britain.”

Weapons from the Bronze Age are found both individually and in hoards.

Some were deliberately broken and left in or close by water and other parts of the landscape as part of rituals.

Archaeologists believe this is the case for the spearhead discovered in the Mennock Pass.

The spokesperson for Dumfries Museum said: “It has been examined by subject specialist at National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh, and came to Dumfries Museum a couple of weeks ago, where it will now be catalogued and photographed. 

“After this it will be put on exhibition with other Bronze Age material, including a leaf-shaped spearhead from Dunscore, and two looped spearheads, one from Crossmichael and the other from Tinwald.”