Grave goods show that women were identified as weavers in the early Anglo-Saxon period, rather than specifically spinners, as occurs later. A key piece of weaving equipment found in migration era burials is the iron beater, shaped during this period like a sword. Spear shaped beaters appear later in the seventh century. This study is centred on a corpus of sword and spear shaped beaters not only from Anglo-Saxon England (centred on East Kent), but...