AN ARTHOG man has discovered a knife which is likely to be from between the late 16th and 18th centuries in a river near his home.

Mark James made the discovery on Tuesday, 29 December.

He told the Cambrian News his first thoughts upon finding the knife.

He said: “I assumed it was a purple plastic bottle cap, caught up in shallows, until I bent down to pick it up and met resistance.

“It wasn’t there a week ago, so somehow survived being tumbled over boulders and cascades, before being buried blade first, into the ground.

“When I applied more effort, the whole dagger revealed itself and I gasped in shock.

“I initially thought it was a rusty tent peg with a plastic top, until I looked closer.

“The online response to the photos I’ve shared on numerous Facebook groups has been astounding with everyone asking to be kept updated.”

Mark continued: “It’s not something I go out of my way to do, except when I was a boy and would dig Victorian bottle dumps, hunting for marble top Codd bottles and stoneware inkwells, but after deluges here, detritus is quite often washed up, including bottles, pottery shards and a silver sugar spoon one day.”

Mark has sent pictures of the knife to the Archaeological Department at Cardiff University, the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust for analysis.

He said that the responses have been positive, but unfortunately no definite date or location can be given to the knife yet.

Mark added: “There is still no definitive date or country of origin, but they all seem pretty excited.

“Unfortunately, with lockdown in place, I’m unable to drive it for closer inspection and handling and there’s no way I’d post it.

“Fingers crossed by the middle of January I can transport it to the relevant institution.”