Iron Knife from Watchfield, Oxfordshire: 5th or 6th century AD

The Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Watchfield in West Oxfordshire served a mid 5th to early 6th century community, many of whose adults carried knives. The eighteen personal knives found buried with their owners ranged in length from about 7 to 18cm; this was one of the longest. Most of the knives, like this one, would have had a horn handle and leather sheath, as traces of both materials could be identified from microscopic remains on tang and blade. The knives found were about equally divided between men and women, suggesting they were an essential for a routine activity such as eating meals.

In other respects, personal items found in the graves of men and women were quite different: bosses from shields, swords and spearheads for men, brooches, beads and rings for women; both sexes had buckles and tweezers.