89 



RARE TYPE OF FLINT DAGGER FROM 

 COTTINGHAM, EAST YORKS. 



T. SHEPPAKD, F.G.S., F.S.. X.Scot. 



At the recent meeting of the Yorkshire Natiirahsts' l'ni(jn 

 held at Scarborough, there was on exhibition a number of pre- 

 historic implements, amongst which was an unu'rually fine 

 Hint dagger, labelled ' Cottingham.' This has since been 

 acquired for the Hull Museum by means of an exchange, and 

 forms a welcome addition to the local pre-historic collection 

 there exhibited. 



The dagger is of dark flint, though the surfa'^e is now of a 

 light colour, due co oxidisation. It is yh inches in length,' 2A 

 inches in greatest width, but is so remarkably well made that it 

 is nowhere as much ts J inch in thickness. A very sharp cutting 



edge has ]:)een made by very careful chipping, and about 

 half-way between the point and the butt end is a notch on each 

 side of the blade, which has apparently been made in order that 

 the dagger may be better bound to its handle. 



Flint daggers of this kind are exceedingly rare in this country 

 and the probability is that the Cottingham example had been 

 buried with an interment. The last specimen of its kind found 

 was obtained at ^liddleton-on-the-Wolds in 1905, and was 

 associated with an earthenware vessel known as a drinking cup. 

 This was figured and described in ' The Naturalist ' a short 

 time ago.* 



* 1908, p. 231. 



191 o Feb. I. G 



