Unique Knife That Belonged To Early Medieval Scribe Unearthed In Poland

AncientPages.com - A unique knife that belonged to an early medieval scribe has been discovered in the Pasym Castle located at Pasym, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland.

The knife dated to the 8^th or 9^th century is the only such object known from Poland. The similar objects originate from Great Britain, Frisia or Norway, according to archaeologists who carried out excavations in the early medieval fortified  Pasym settlement.

"This is the only Prussian settlement with such an early metric, it dates back to the VII-IX century" - said Dr. Sławomir Wadyl from the Institute of Archeology of the University of Warsaw, who conducted excavations at Pasym in cooperation with Kacper Martyka from the Museum of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.

The knife is less than 10 cm in length and was found in a hearth inside a residential building. What distinguishes the knife from other objects of this type, is the presence of two blades - a longer blade (measuring 42 mm) and a shorter one (measuring 27 mm), which could be used interchangeably. Both blades were formed by cutting off the back, reports Science in Poland.

"No similar object has been found in Poland until now. The search for similar artefacts led us to the British Isles, where rotary knives are quite typical for this period. The objects discovered there, as well as in Frisia and Norway, are similar to our find," said Dr. Wadyl, adding that it is  surprising that until now similar objects have not been found in the Polish lands, in the areas associated with either the Slavs or the Balts.

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"No similar object has been found in Poland until now. The search for similar artefacts led us to the British Isles, where rotary knives are quite typical for this period. The objects discovered there, as well as in Frisia and Norway, are similar to our find," said Dr. Wadyl, adding that it is  surprising that until now similar objects have not been found in the Polish lands, in the areas associated with either the Slavs or the Balts.

Researchers believe that knives of this type were used by scribes in their work. Two different precision blades could be used to create manuscripts - such tools are among the instruments frequently depicted in the images of scribes found on miniatures from the era.

"On this basis, we know that knives with a variety of blades accompanied all stages of manuscript creation: they were used to cut parchment, mark lines, control the shape of letters and erase mistakes" - says Dr. Wadyl.

With time, this kind of knife was probably adapted by other crafts that required precision, where the possibilities offered by knives with two different blades were extremely desirable.

“So they could be used for processing leather, wood or bones" - says the archaeologist. Evidence of antler processing was found within the building where the knife was discovered.

According to Wadyl, it is difficult to say whether the knife had been brought from Scandinavia or the British Isles, but the concept of its creation clearly indicates this origin. Less similar specimens of rotary knives have been discovered by archaeologists in Belarus and Estonia, but they are several hundred years younger than the one from Pasym.

Original story - here.

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