Guard versus horse ornament: remarks on the wrong interpretation of a find revealed with the help of a metal detector

Abstract

A find revealed with the help of a metal detector in the deserted village Wietheim at Bad Lippspringe (Kr. Paderborn) in East Westphalia has been interpreted incorrectly as a horse ornament with animal head endings of Scandinavian origin of the early 9th century. It is in fact the guard of a late medieval dagger from the time around 1400 as is demonstrated by a largely identical parallel with a complete dagger.