Zoomorphic Knife Handle (L.A67.1864.2.0) (c) Leicester City Council Arts and Museums, used with permission
A bone knife handle with zoomorphic designs found in Leicester, Leicestershire. (c) Leicester City Council Arts and Museums, used with permission

Zoomorphic Knife Handle (L.A67.1864.2.0)

A bone knife handle with zoomorphic designs found in Leicester, Leicestershire

This bone knife handle was carved into the head of a dragon with the snout broken off. This handle is typical of the sorts of small knives that people carried for everyday use in the Viking Age. They would have been worn suspended from a belt or hung from a brooch. As general utility knives, they would have been used for everything from eating to trimming one’s nails.

Object Type

Knife

Date

circa 850 — 1100

Ascribed Culture

Original/Reproduction

Original

Material

Collection

Viking Objects

Current Location

Jewry Wall Museum, Leicester

Keywords

Anglo-Scandinavian, bone, Danelaw Saga, Jewry_Wall_Museum, knife_handle, Leicester, Scandinavian

Further information

You can see the original at Jewry Wall Museum, Leicester.

This object is related to Leicester, Leicestershire.
Find out about Leicester, Leicestershire.

Acknowledgements

(c) Leicester City Council Arts and Museums, used with permission

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