Emily Chan
The copper blade was four inches long and was probably owned by an elite warrior. However, it is unlikely that the dagger was used in battle.
“I think copper daggers were, first and foremost, tokens of a high social status,” Burghardt said. “They are quite soft, so they would not be [very] useful in battle.”
The dagger also provides insight into when the usage of metal for the production of tools began in southeastern Poland.
During the period when the dagger was made, copper objects were still extremely rare in the area.
The copper dagger marks the start of the transition from flint tools of the Stone Age to metal products of the Bronze Age.
Experts suspect that the copper dagger may not have originated in Poland. Instead, it might have come from the Ukrainian forest-steppe or Central Europe.
Scientists will perform a metallurgical analysis to figure out where the dagger came from and how it was crafted.
If the dagger did come from outside of Poland, it may indicate that goods were being transported into Poland from other regions.
