Swiss lakes appear, however, to have been hairpins. Some of them are nearly a foot in length, and two found near Berne even as much as 2 ft. 9 in. Many of the pins have large hollow spherical heads, as in figs. 51, 52; the others vary so much that it is impossible to give any general description of them.
Fig. 37.—Bronze dagger-blade from Ireland—1034 inches long by 234 wide. The four rivets by which it is fastened to the handle are still in situ.
Fig. 38.—Bronze dagger from Ireland, two-thirds of the actual size.
There can be little doubt that these pins really belong to the Bronze Age; but the fact that similar ones continued in use long after the introduction of iron is equally well established. One of these later bronze pins is represented in fig. 194. Some other small objects of bronze, including two needles, from the Lake or Neufchâtel, are represented in figs. 55–60. Bronze hammers are very rare: it is probable that stones were used for this purpose. Gouges are more common. Small saws have been discovered in Germany and Denmark, but not, as yet, in Great Britain. Studs or buttons, though not very abundant, are found both in Switzerland and Scandinavia.[1]
- ↑ Further information as to the objects of bronze from Switzerland will be found in the chapter on Swiss lake habitations.
