This belongs to a group of Iron Age swords and daggers associated with the late Iron Age La Tène culture. Examples have been found all over former Celtic Europe, including Britain, with hilts, both in bronze and iron, of the same characteristic outline. The hilt form found on this example is classified as Type E by Clarke & Hawkes, and dated to La Tène II (350-150 B.C.)

See R.R. Clarke & C.F.C. Hawkes, 'An Iron Anthropoid Sword from Shouldham, Norfolk with Related Continental and British Weapons', Proceedings of Prehistoric Society for 1955, N.S. XXI, pp.198-227; Die Kelten in Mitteleuropa, Salzburger Landesausstellung, Mai- 30 Sept., 1980 im Keltenmuseum Hallein, Österreich, pp.117-20