2nd-3rd century AD. A bronze and iron folding hunting knife (culter venatorius), the handle with a representation of a hunting scene, with a hound catching a boar, in openwork to allow the insertion of the short iron blade, the folding blade still pivoting in the bronze openwork handle. See Allason-Jones, L. & Miket, R. ,The Catalogue of Small Finds from South Shields Roman Fort, Newcastle, 1984, item 5.1 for type. 92 grams, 98mm (4"). Property of a Surrey collector; acquired in the early 1970s. Knives for hunting were generally made with the bronze handle and iron blades, they could be straight, folding, or with swiveling handles. Small knives like our specimen were mainly used in hunting duties.