Overview of the Piggott Typology

Overview of the Piggott Typology

Unlike other sword typologies that people may be familiar with, the Piggott Typology isn’t focused specifically on blades, hilts, or scabbards. The typology is formed around distinct variants in the hilt, scabbards, and chapes of swords during Brittan’s early Iron Age. As we will see later for example groups two and three are known by specific characteristics in the scabbards and chapes, while the distinguishing characteristics of group four is the hilt. While each group has its defining elements that identity it, we can also see changes decorations, regions, and time period many times.

Group I only consist of a few exotic daggers and scabbards showing heavy trends and characteristics of continental swords and daggers. These examples date to around the second to third century before the common era. It should also be noted that most of these would seem to be a result of a raid or invasion up the Thames.

Group II is really the start of the British cycle of development as Piggott puts it. These are the Hunsbury type and feature very strong construction processes that follow with Continental La Téne II scabbards. The sword blades are characteristically long narrow blades, rarely more than one and a half inches wide. Scabbards are typically made from iron and allow for an ogee (double curved) hilt plate. The subset Group IIa consists of the British anthropoid daggers. I hope to look at these in much greater detail at a later date.

Group III consist of examples born out of Group II in the North East. We start seeing these about the first century before the common era and end during the first century of the common era, making them contemporary with Group II. These are of the Bugthorpe type and have the distinguishing feature of a heavy cast heart shaped chape. The subset Group IIIa is an offshoot the group in Ireland known as the Lisnacroghera type. These are known by the “bag” chapes and appear about 50 BCE.

Group IV is known as the Brigantian type and is a result of Roman influences that begins about 45 CE until about 125 CE. These come in two variants, the cocked hat and crown shaped guards. Blades are typically between twenty and twenty four inches long and come in a wide variety of blade widths. Many of Brittan’s most well known examples of Iron Age swords fall within this group.

Group V is known as the Battersea type are is a result of Belgic influences from the Continental La Téne III period. These are seen from about the first century before the common era forward. Blades typically have little profile taper, having parallel sides and are up to thirty one inches long.

Group VI is a small group known as the Bredon Type from about the first century of the common era. These feature a button ended chape that appears to be modeled on Roman examples.