Ein kupferzeitlicher dolch im eisenzeitlichen Italien – die notwendige Revision einer „sardischen" Stichwaffe aus dem depotfund von San Franscesco, Bologna

Abstract

This short contribution is a chronological and typological reassessment of a fragmented tanged and riveted dagger belonging to the famous Bologna-San Francesco metal hoard, found in 1877, with the majority of associated artefacts dated to the European Iron Age. This critical reappraisal suggests that this dagger, commonly identified as of Iron Age »Sardinian« type, belongs to a totally different period and culture: It bears all formal and technical details significant for the so-called »Malé Leváre« group of Copper Age daggers from East-/Southeast Europe and the Balkans, commonly dated to the midth of the 4th millennium B.C. Since this hoard contains several other items already identified as of pre-Iron Age date, one more object can now be associated with this group, thereby increasing the overall number of this relatively rare Copper Age stabbing weapon.