https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/templates/general_wide/img/logo.png UKDFD Recording Software https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ Knives https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives.html Knife Handle https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/knife-handle-58897.html Sun, 28 Sep 2025 15:10:18 GMT Knives Knife Handle  
Description: Part of the zoomorphic handle of a folding knife of the Roman period. The handle would probably have been in the form of a hound chasing a hare, but only the hound survives. Both sides of the animal are decorated with incised circles and have moulded lines on the neck and body that suggest a collar and harness.

For a more complete example of generally similar type, see UKDFD 10007.

Nigel Mills (see References below) comments: "The 'hare and hound' is the most common form of folding knife to have been manufactured in Roman Britain by native craftsmen. This type of knife was primarily used as a razor, and its popularity suggests usage by the Legionaries."
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]> Knife Handle https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/knife-handle-3811.html Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT Knives Knife Handle  
Description: A cast copper-alloy knife or tool handle of the Roman period. Corrosion from the iron tang is present at the attachment end.

See also UKDFD 55438 and PAS: NMS-084F13.
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]> Knife Handle https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/knife-handle-55438.html Mon, 13 Jul 2020 15:53:05 GMT Knives Knife Handle  
Description: A cast copper-alloy knife or implement handle of the Roman period. Corrosion from the embedded iron tang is present at one end of the handle; the other end has a socket of oblong cross-section, probably for the attachment of a decorative terminal.

See also UKDFD 54191, which was found in close proximity.

Cf. UKDFD 3811 and PAS: NMS-084F13.
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]> Knife Handle https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/knife-handle-30479.html Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Knives Knife Handle  
Description: An incomplete handle for a folding knife of the Roman period. The handle would originally have been moulded in the form of an outstretched lion, but only the forepart, consisting of the lion's neck, head and front legs, survives. The underside of the lion is deeply recessed to accommodate the blade, which would have been made of iron and hinged from a point between the lion's hind legs. Between the lion's front paws, possibly representing it holding its prey, is another hinged implement, the use of which is uncertain. It is apparently complete, but is clearly not a second blade, and not intended to fold back into the recess on the underside of the lion, as there is a transverse rib preventing it from doing so.

Nigel Mills (see References below) notes:
The Romans used decorative bronze handled knives provided with a number of different implements, much like the Swiss Army knives of today.

On the basis of the more complete example illustrated in Celtic & Roman Artefacts, and another closely similar PAS example (DENO-AEBF93), it would appear that this particular type of knife had at least three separate hinged implements. The form of the uncertain implement held between the front paws on the present knife is virtually identical to that on the PAS example.
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]> Anthropomorphic Terminal https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/anthropomorphic-terminal-5719.html Sun, 14 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT Knives Anthropomorphic Terminal  
Description: An anthropomorphic terminal in the form of two heads, back to back, probably from a knife handle. The remains of an iron tang are present in a recess at the base of the terminal. The hairstyles depicted on the two heads are different, one with the hair brushed backwards, and the other with it parted and combed sideways.

A similar example is recorded on the PAS (SF-D0D636), and others are cited in the description. All are dated 1st to 2nd century AD. The heads on the PAS example are described as 'female'. On the present terminal, they appear to be male heads.
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]> Knife Handle https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/knife-handle-17014.html Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Knives Knife Handle  
Description: The zoomorphic handle terminal of a knife of the Roman period. It is in the form of the head and neck of an animal with moulded ears, eyes, mouth and nostrils. There is an integral bar extending from the animal's mouth to the base of the terminal, which creates a closed loop. Remnants of the iron blade are present at the base, and there is ferrous corrosion on the surface.
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]> Knife Handle https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/knife-handle-22170.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT Knives Knife Handle  
Description: One half of a composite copper-alloy knife handle of the Roman period. About two-thirds of the length of the handle is faceted with three plain longitudinal panels, while the remaining third is semicircular with moulded circumferential ribs and grooves. The underside is concave and approximately semicircular for the full length. The external surface has a white-metal coating.
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]> Knife Handle https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/knife-handle-6255.html Sat, 03 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT Knives Knife Handle  
Description: A Roman knife handle depicting an erotic scene involving three figures. The handle is complete and has two rivet holes at the blade end. The iron blade has corroded away.
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]> Knife Handle https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/knife-handle-12848.html Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT Knives Knife Handle  
Description: A Roman folding knife handle depicting an erotic scene involving three figures. The iron blade has corroded away and there is some iron contamination on one of the figures.

See also UKDFD 6255.
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]> Knife Handle https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/knives/knife-handle-9052.html Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT Knives Knife Handle  
Description: The zoomorphic handle of a folding knife of the Roman period. It is in the form of a stretched lion, and was originally fitted with two separate iron blades, remnants of which survive. The main blade was hinged between the pair of lugs on the underside, and the smaller blade was fitted to a slot on one side of the crescent-shaped rear paws.
Category: Roman, Knives
Category: Knives
]]>