Page:British costume (IA britishcostumeco00planuoft).djvu/26

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ANCIENT BRITISH PERIOD.
3

of brass (or rather of copper) and tin, by first presenting them with models of their own rude weapons in this mixed metal, and then gradually inducing-them to adopt the improvements, and emulate the skill of their friendly visitors.

The lance, for instance, formed of a long bone, ground to a point (vide figures c and d at head of chapter), and inserted into a split at the end of an oaken shaft, where it was secured by wooden pegs, was first succeeded by a metal blade, similarly shaped and fastened (vide fig. a in the following engraving) ;

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British weapons of bronze in their earliest and improved states.

Fig. a, earliest specimen of spear-blade; b, the llaonawr, or blade-weapon, found in the New Forest, Glamorganshire; c, the spoar-head, improved with a socket for the shaft, found in Ireland; d, head of hunting spear dug up in Hertfordshire; e, a sword found at Fulboum, all in the Meyrick collection; f, battle-axe head, of the earliest form, engraved in Archaeologia, vol. ix. pi. 3; g, another, engraved in Archaologia, vol. xiv.; h, another, improved, in the Meyrick collection.

but shortly afterwards, the shaft, instead of receiving the blade, was fitted into a socket in a workmanlike manner, and finally the blade itself assumed a classical form. The arrow and the hatchet, or battle-axe, underwent the same gradual transformation and improve