Spearhead

A thrusting blade mounted on a long shaft as a weapon for war or hunting. Early examples in flint were usually leaf-shaped, and hafted simply in a cleft in the spear shaft. In the early Bronze Age, bronze dagger blades were similarly mounted, and ferrules were soon added. When these came to be cast in one piece with the blade, the socketed spearhead had made its appearance. This became the standard form, with comparatively minor variations, for the rest of prehistory. Many spears have been found in the River Thames, such as the Middle Bronze Age example found near Marlow. An Iron Age spear was found on Pulpit Hill at the hillfort. A saxon iron spear was found in the River Twin at Thornborough Bridge.