Ring pommel daggers were first used by the Celts and evolved in southern Europe to the form seen here. Its form with a slightly turned down guard is characteristic of the Helvetic League and is particularly associated with the town of Basil. The stiff asymmetrical blade served equally well for slashing and thrusting and would have been very formidable in its period before the evolution of full plate armor. Like most surviving examples, this evidently was a river find. WFL.019 WFL019 WFL 019