A Possible Egyptian Dating for the End of the Third Late Minoan Period

Abstract

In the last number of the Zeitschrift für Aegyptische Sprache Max Burchardt publishes two swords lately acquired from Egypt by the Berlin Museum. The first (Inventory Number 20447), (Fig. 1), almost perfectly preserved, is a fine example of Naue's Type II. It is a cutting sword with edges almost parallel and the end bluntly pointed. The handle is made in one piece with the blade. Its edges are raised on either side and it is fitted with eight rivet holes. Down the blade, whose faces are slightly convex, run on either face four fine furrows parallel to the edges. The total length is 715 mm. The sword was found at Zagazig (Bubastis) in the Delta.The second sword (Inventory Number 20305) is unfortunately badly damaged but probably belongs to the same type. It certainly has the same section and the same almost parallel edges. There is, too, the same thickening of the handle at the point where it joins the blade and the disposition of the rivets is similar in the case of such as remain. I have not yet had the opportunity of examining the original and so must be content with quoting Burchardt's opinion on this point.