{"recordID":"14442","finds":[{"created2":"1999 10 18","description":"Small socketed axe of South Wales\/Stogursey Type.  The axe exhibits most of the characteristic features of its type: namely evidence for a four runner casting technology, a thin and inwards curving mouth moulding, and a three rib decorative motif extending from the moulding down both faces of the axe.  However, the axe does not have a loop extending from within the moulding: instead the loop extends from beneath the moulding.  The axe has a very angular and near rectangular cross-section, with straight sides which are very slightly divergent towards the blade end.  There is very little expansion or recurving at the blade end.  There are a number of features which suggest that this axe is a miscasting.  On the opposing side to the loop there is a hole, 34mm long and a maximum of 5mm wide, which is a casting flaw.  A dent and crack in the metal is visible adjacent to this flaw on one of the axe's surfaces towards the blade end.  The rib definition on one face of the blade is poor, the ribs being discontinuous and suggesting imperfections in the mould shape.  Finally, there is a casting flaw on the mouth of the axe, where it is irregular and poorly defined in shape due to a lack of metal.  The axe has a green to dark green patina.  The soil from the socket was removed by an archaeological conservator; however no evidence for a surviving wooden haft was recovered.  Date: 1020-800 Cal BC (Ewart Park Stage).  Length 113mm, blade width 51mm, depth of socket c.78mm, internal socket dimensions 35mm x 30mm, external socket dimensions 52mm x 44mm, weight 283.3 grams.","notes":"Part of a hoard of nine Late Bronze Age socketed axes.  Following the removal of two of the axes by the finder the remainder, including this one, were excavated by archaeologists from the National Museums & Galleries of Wales (see: Treasure Hunting, November 1999, pages 42-44 for an anecdotal account of the discovery).  Excavation revealed that the axes had been deliberately deposited in a shallow pit during antiquity, which had been truncated in the recent past.  The pit was apparently isolated; geophysical survey of the vicinity indicated no sign of further activity in the adjacent area.  The axes were probably designed for use in carpentry and woodland management.  The reason for burying the axes in a pit is not certain; they may have been collected for their scrap value in preparation for recycling or deposited as a votive offering as part of a prehistoric religious ritual.","old_findID":"NMGW176","id":"14442","objecttype":"socketed axehead","classification":"South Wales\/Stogursey Type","subclass":null,"reuse":null,"created":"1999-10-18 00:00:00","broadperiod":"BRONZE AGE","updated":"2011-02-24 12:19:17","treasureID":null,"secwfstage":"3","secuid":"0013EA16123018B2","findofnote":null,"objecttypecert":"1","datefound1":"1999-07-09","datefound2":null,"createdBy":"5","curr_loc":null,"inscription":null,"reason":null,"subsequentAction":"Returned to finder"}],"record":[{"id":"14442","old_findID":"NMGW176","uniqueID":"0013EA16123018B2","objecttype":"socketed axehead","classification":"South Wales\/Stogursey Type","subclass":null,"length":"113","height":null,"width":"51","thickness":null,"diameter":null,"quantity":"1","other_ref":"NMGWPA:99.38.8","treasureID":null,"broadperiod":"BRONZE AGE","numdate1":"-1020","numdate2":"-800","description":"Small socketed axe of South Wales\/Stogursey Type.  The axe exhibits most of the characteristic features of its type: namely evidence for a four runner casting technology, a thin and inwards curving mouth moulding, and a three rib decorative motif extending from the moulding down both faces of the axe.  However, the axe does not have a loop extending from within the moulding: instead the loop extends from beneath the moulding.  The axe has a very angular and near rectangular cross-section, with straight sides which are very slightly divergent towards the blade end.  There is very little expansion or recurving at the blade end.  There are a number of features which suggest that this axe is a miscasting.  On the opposing side to the loop there is a hole, 34mm long and a maximum of 5mm wide, which is a casting flaw.  A dent and crack in the metal is visible adjacent to this flaw on one of the axe's surfaces towards the blade end.  The rib definition on one face of the blade is poor, the ribs being discontinuous and suggesting imperfections in the mould shape.  Finally, there is a casting flaw on the mouth of the axe, where it is irregular and poorly defined in shape due to a lack of metal.  The axe has a green to dark green patina.  The soil from the socket was removed by an archaeological conservator; however no evidence for a surviving wooden haft was recovered.  Date: 1020-800 Cal BC (Ewart Park Stage).  Length 113mm, blade width 51mm, depth of socket c.78mm, internal socket dimensions 35mm x 30mm, external socket dimensions 52mm x 44mm, weight 283.3 grams.","notes":"Part of a hoard of nine Late Bronze Age socketed axes.  Following the removal of two of the axes by the finder the remainder, including this one, were excavated by archaeologists from the National Museums & Galleries of Wales (see: Treasure Hunting, November 1999, pages 42-44 for an anecdotal account of the discovery).  Excavation revealed that the axes had been deliberately deposited in a shallow pit during antiquity, which had been truncated in the recent past.  The pit was apparently isolated; geophysical survey of the vicinity indicated no sign of further activity in the adjacent area.  The axes were probably designed for use in carpentry and woodland management.  The reason for burying the axes in a pit is not certain; they may have been collected for their scrap value in preparation for recycling or deposited as a votive offering as part of a prehistoric religious ritual.","reuse":null,"created":"1999-10-18 00:00:00","updated":"2011-02-24 12:19:17","secwfstage":"3","findofnote":null,"objecttypecert":"1","datefound1":"1999-07-09","datefound2":null,"inscription":null,"disccircum":null,"museumAccession":null,"subsequentAction":"1","objectCertainty":"1","dateFromCertainty":null,"dateToCertainty":null,"dateFoundFromCertainty":null,"dateFoundToCertainty":null,"subPeriodFrom":"3","subPeriodTo":"3","reason":null,"username":"agwilt","fullname":"Adam Gwilt","institution":"NMGW","usernameUpdate":"dpett","fullnameUpdate":"Daniel Pett","primaryMaterial":null,"secondaryMaterial":null,"decoration":null,"style":null,"manufacture":"Cast","surfaceTreatment":null,"completeness":null,"preservation":"Requiring conservation","cert":"Certain","periodFrom":"BRONZE AGE","periodTo":null,"culture":null,"discmethod":"Controlled archaeological investigation","finder":null,"identifier":null,"secondaryIdentifier":null,"recorder":null,"county":null,"parish":null,"district":null,"easting":null,"northing":null,"gridref":null,"fourFigure":null,"map25k":"ST3319","map10k":"ST39SE","address":null,"postcode":null,"findspotdescription":null,"lat":null,"lon":null,"knownas":"South Wales","source":null,"obverse_description":null,"obverse_inscription":null,"reverse_description":null,"reverse_inscription":null,"denomination":null,"degree_of_wear":null,"allen_type":null,"va_type":null,"mack":null,"reeceID":null,"die":null,"wearID":null,"moneyer":null,"revtypeID":null,"categoryID":null,"typeID":null,"tribeID":null,"status":null,"rulerQualifier":null,"denominationQualifier":null,"mintQualifier":null,"dieAxisCertainty":null,"initialMark":null,"reverseMintMark":null,"statusQualifier":null,"tribe":null,"region":null,"area":null,"ruler1":null,"ruler2":null,"period_name":null,"date_range":null,"mint_name":null,"wear":null,"die_axis_name":null,"category":null,"type":null,"emperorID":null,"mintid":null,"reverseType":null,"i":null,"f":null,"imagedir":null}]}