The Fulham Sword
- Gallery: Room 49
- Culture: Romano-British
- Date: 1stC(early)
- Object type: sword, sword-sheath
- Materials: iron; copper alloy
- Museum number: 1883,0407.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
This is "The Fulham Sword," a powerful object from early Roman Britain. The iron blade is straight with a slightly splayed tip, and the bronze sheath is richly ornamental. Two decorated bronze plates line the sheath, both decorated with repoussé—patterns that are pressed into the metal from the reverse side.
The upper plate shows a stag attacked by hounds, flanked by trees, and the mythic figures Romulus and Remus with a wolf. The lower plate is filled with floral scrolls, birds, butterflies, and possibly hares.
This sword represents a type common in the early first century AD—designed mainly for stabbing. It’s the only known example of this kind in Britain. The same design appears in Roman Germany, where it’s known as the Mainz type. Its rich decoration and careful craftsmanship reflect both the artistic taste and military significance of the time.
See it in person
The Fulham Sword is on display in Room 49 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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