A Late Bronze Age Hoard from Blackrock in Sussex and its Significance

Abstract

The hoard of bronzes from Blackrock near Brighton, was first published in 1916, and later received treatment by Curwen in his Archaeology of Sussex. The obviously foreign elements in the hoard have not been clearly recognised in the past, and in view of their significance it is desirable that a more detailed description of the finds should be put on record, and that some attempt should be made to fit them into the existing pattern of the Late Bronze Age of the British Isles.The following objects (all of bronze) were found in the hoard:I. Three ‘Sussex Loops.’II. Two plain armlets.III. Eight unlooped palstaves.IV. Rapier blade with three rivet holes.V. Dirk handle.VI. Decorated spiral finger-ring.Unfortunately the exact locality and conditions of finding cannot be determined with certainty, but there is good reason to believe that the discovery was made at Blackrock, about two miles to the east of Brighton. There is little doubt that all these objects were found together, and that they comprised the whole hoard.Of these objects, the Sussex loops can be fairly closely dated in the British Bronze Age, and the bronze dirk handle and decorated spiral finger-ring are imports from Schleswig-Holstein or North Germany. The origin of the other objects is less certain, but it is immediately clear that a study of this hoard may be of value in cross-dating between our own Bronze Age and that of the Northern Countries.First we will discuss the ‘Sussex Loops’ and their chronological position in the British Isles.