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Axe
Unique ID: NCL-B6FFC6
Object type certainty: Certain
A copper axe of African make dating to the mid 19th to early 20th century.
The axe has two parts, a hammered blade and a hammered haft.
The blade is basically triangular in plan, but with the apex thickening into a square-sectioned stem that is set in the haft. The edge is convex, but it was never finished to function as a cutting edge, and has suffered damage so that it looks like a wave in section. Hammer marks are visible on all faces of the blade.
The haft is circular in section with a thickened head to take the weight and attachment of the blade. The haft has been decorated in such a fashion as to emulate the tecture of a wooden haft.
The object would not have functioned well as a usefool tool, and it was probably a ceremonial axe or prestige item.
Christopher Spring of the British Museum has indicated that this type of axe was typically for ceremony or display. It's form is not that distinctive, with similar types common in the western, central, and southern regions of Africa. However, given that the axe is entirely fashioned from copper, it is probable that the axe originally came from the Copper Belt region of Zambia.
This object probably made its way to Britain in the bags of a tourist, colonist, or official that worked in Zambia during the course of the British Empire.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MODERN
Period from: MODERN [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Period to: MODERN [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Date from: Circa AD 1850
Date to: Circa AD 1950
Dimensions and weight
Length: 373 mm
Width: 82 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight: 1200 g
Quantity: 1
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Completeness: Complete [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Spatial data
Region: North East
County: Northumberland
District: Castle Morpeth
Parish: Widdrington
Restricted 4 Figure grid reference: NZ2595
The map has been degraded and provides an approximate location with a degree of random obfuscation.
Grid reference source: Centred on village (which isn't a parish)
Grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
Method of discovery: Building work
[scope notes]
General landuse: Other [scope notes]
Specific landuse: Built over [scope notes]
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 1st July 2007
Personal details
Found by: This information is restricted for your login.
Recorded by: Dr Robert Collins
- [
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Identified by: Dr Robert Collins - [view all attributed records]
Other reference numbers
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Audit data
Created:
Wednesday 2nd January 2008
Updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
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