Monthly Archives: April 2008

This odd little copper alloy object is actually a late medieval macehead, dating to around the 14th century. It’s perhaps not obvious, being a bit smaller than the huge spikey-ball-shaped-things you see Brian Blessed and Mel Gibson smacking into people’s faces (in films, that is).  Indeed, many of these items may have been used as the heads of staffs, rather than in warfare, and some may even have had an ecclesiastical association.  Nonetheless, Derek Clarke, who found the find, knew instantly what it was.

Derek found the object on the Isle of Wight, while metal detecting on a trip away with his club (Northampton Detecting Association). The find’s context is particularly interesting; it was found not far from the medieval Carisbrooke Castle! Derek had just come out detecting after lunch, and was covering an area of the field that his fellow detectorists had left well alone, on account of a fairly steep slope. Nonetheless, several of his colleagues had already gone over the spot where the macehead was found, without getting a signal they thought worth investigating. Derek is understandably proud of his find, as he says ‘the Gods were on my side, that day!’.

The find, and its place in the local landscape, provide a good example of how individual finds can tell us about past activity in an area. The findspot data will be reported to the local Sites and Monuments Record, helping them better understand the development of the medieval landscape around the castle.
Well done Derek!