Early Anglo-Saxon cast copper-alloy dagger or seax pommel of the "cocked-hat" type, found at Pudding Farm, Headbourne Worthy, Hampshire. An incomplete pommel, broadly rectangular in plan, with slightly bowed longer edges. The two shorter edges are both

Early Anglo-Saxon cast copper-alloy dagger or seax pommel of the "cocked-hat" type, found at Pudding Farm, Headbourne Worthy, Hampshire. An incomplete pommel, broadly rectangular in plan, with slightly bowed longer edges. The two shorter edges are both abraded and retain little of their flat semi-circular lugs. The rivets which would have gone through the lugs into the pommel bar naturally have been lost. The artefact is pyramidal in outline with concave sides and a small, flattened top. The lower surface of the pommel is deeply recessed. The upper surface has a smooth mid-green patina. The "cocked-hat" pommel is an early Anglo-Saxon type, examples of which can be found illustrated in MacGregor & Bolick (1993, 237-38).

Copper-alloy dagger pommel

Early Anglo-Saxon, 5th-8th century AD

Found with a metal detector at Headbourne Worthy, Hampshire in 2008

A small item which is the only remaining part of an Anglo-Saxon dagger, or knife (known as a seax). Though now with a green patina, a tarnish that occurs with age, one can imagine this as a shiny glinting terminal visible at the end of the dagger handle as it sat in a leather scabbard, hanging from the owner's belt. The iron dagger blade may have rusted away over time. This object is known to archaeologists as a 'cocked-hat' type of pommel due to its resemblance to the style of headwear of the same name as favoured by Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington.

Portable Antiquities Scheme reference HAMP-913D55.

Early Anglo-Saxon cast copper-alloy dagger or seax pommel of the "cocked-hat" type, found at Pudding Farm, Headbourne Worthy, Hampshire. An incomplete pommel, broadly rectangular in plan, with slightly bowed longer edges. The two shorter edges are both