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Socketed axehead
Unique ID: NMGW-2AA743
Object type certainty: Certain
Three ribbed South Wales Type socketed axe of cast bronze. One upper face and most of the mouth top has broken away, whilst the loop is broken. This medium sized axe is slender in form, with slightly divergent sides, widening near the blade end to form an expanded blade with slight recurving at the edges. The casting seams down each side of the axe remain prominent, though seem to have been blunted and rounded, possibly through hammering. The axe has a rectangular cross section, though the face edges are slightly curved. Three well-defined longitudinal ribs extend from the underside of a prominent outsplayed mouth moulding, converging slightly towards the blade end. The blade edge has entirely corroded away, although hammer marks and striations on the blade bevel, parallel to the blade edge, indicate that the axe blade was prepared and sharpened for use. The axe has minor casting blemishes upon the inner socket surfaces and on one outer face, though not serious enough to affect it functioning as an axe, whilst the socket base is flat and deep. The mouth, break edges and blade edge are severely corroded, light green and powdery. When reported for identification there were a number of additional corroded small fragments, which had detached themselves from the axe. Most of the axe surfaces are original and have a good dark-brown to black patina.
Notes:
Inside the socket of the axe were found well mineralised plant fragments, possibly grass stems, which were removed for study. These may have been within the socket when it was deposited within the ground.
Class: South Wales / Stogursey
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
Period from: BRONZE AGE [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Period to: BRONZE AGE [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Date from: Circa 1000 BC
Date to: Circa 800 BC
Dimensions and weight
Length: 96.7 mm
Width: 51 mm
Weight: 161.6 g
Quantity: 1
Materials and construction
Manufacture method: Cast [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Completeness: Incomplete [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Spatial data
Region: Wales
County: Rhondda Cynon Taff
District: Rhondda Cynon Taff
Parish: Ferndale
Restricted 4 Figure grid reference: SS9897
The map has been degraded and provides an approximate location with a degree of random obfuscation.
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
Method of discovery: Metal detector
[scope notes]
General landuse: Grassland, Heathland [scope notes]
Specific landuse: Character undetermined [scope notes]
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 1st June 2003
Personal details
Found by: This information is restricted for your login.
Identified by: Adam Gwilt - [view all attributed records]
Other reference numbers
Other reference: NMGWPA 2004.52.1
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Audit data
Created:
Thursday 25th March 2004
Updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
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