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Four replica swords were used in our combat tests, based on Late Bronze Age British and continental templates belonging to the types Wilburton, Ewart Park, Carp’s Tongue, and Kemenczei’s type S (a type of Vollgriffschwert, or cast-hilt sword, mainly found in Hungary). They were manufactured by Neil Burridge using traditional casting and working methods (Bronze Age Craft). To avoid discrepancies in the tests results, which might be ascribed to different alloy compositions or edge hardening, all swords were cast with the same 12% tin-bronze alloy. Their cutting edges were then subjected to a single cycle of work-hardening and sharpened to a razor finish. Finally, oak hilt plates and pommels were added to three swords, while the fourth had the hilt and pommel cast in solid bronze.
Ten replica spears were also used in our tests. These consisted of five spearheads (types 8B, Group 11A, and Group 11B in Davis’ typology) mounted on two different types of seasoned-ash shafts long 180cm and 110cm respectively. Three shields were also manufactured by Neil Burridge, two from leather and one from bronze. The leather shields are faithful replicas of the Herzsprung-type shield from Cloonbrin, Co. Longford, Ireland, while the bronze shield is based on originals of Athenry-Eynsham and Nipperwiese types. This was hammered from a 2.3 mm thick round blank measuring 22.7 cm in diameter, which was cast in a two-piece mould from 12% tin-bronze. The blank was worked through 54 cycles of hammering followed by annealing at c.600 °C and then quenched in water. The final sheet measured 37.6 cm in diameter. We also tested a wooden shield carved by Jake Newport out of a slab of seasoned alder wood. It broke our heart to wreck such masterfully crafted weaponry but it was all done in the name of science!
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