They were probably tools for the slaughter of meat, and not ceremonial objects for the burial of warriors, the famous daggers of the Bronze Age appeared starting from the fourth millennium BC and found in numerous sites throughout Europe.
This is demonstrated by the remains of collagen, bones, muscles and tendons present on ten copper alloy daggers found in Pragatto, near Bologna, and examined thanks to a new technique that allows for the first time to identify organic residues on ancient metals.
The study is published in Scientific Reports by a group of Italian and British experts coordinated by Andrea Dolfini of the University of Newcastle and Monica Miari of the Archaeological Superintendence.
The new analysis technique is based on the use of a special solution that allowed to color the organic residues on the blades of the daggers.
By observing the findings under a light, digital and scanning electron microscope, the researchers identified micro-residues of collagen associated with fibers of muscles, tendons and bones.
From these clues they deduced that the blades had been used on the carcasses of different types of animals, to slaughter the meat and remove the bones.
To confirm this intuition, the researchers conducted a series of experiments using faithful replicas of ancient daggers to slaughter meat: the organic residues left on the blades were in fact comparable to those found on archaeological finds.