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HOARD
Unique ID: KENT-C93982
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
CORONER'S REPORT
Circumstance of discovery
Late Bronze Age metalwork hoard. The hoard comprises of three bronze socketed axes, ten fragments of socketed axes, one palstave fragment, one socketed gouge fragment, one sword blade fragment, one blade fragment, two ingot fragments and fourteen further bronze fragments.
The objects were scattered in ploughsoil across an area of about 20 square feet, with some objects visible on the surface.
Description of objects
1. Socketed axe - Complete Southeastern type plain A1. Double mouth moulding with a more prominent upper moulding and the loop protruding from the lower moulding. The body is sub-rectangular with angular corners leading down to fairly sharply flaring blade. The collar and part of the body is broken off. The patina is dark green with light green and brown corrosion.
L: 106.0mm; W: 50.0mm; Th: 27.0mm; Wt: 223.7g.
2. Bronze ingot fragment. Cast surfaces, light green patina with red brown corrosion with a pitted surface.
L: 45.5mm; W: 43.0mm; Th: 19.0mm; Wt: 168.6g.
3. Bronze fragment. Light green patina with red brown corrosion with a pitted surface.
L: 55.0mm; W: 49.5mm; Th: 17.5mm; Wt: 192.7g.
4. Bronze fragment. Possibly curving cast surface with light green patina with brown corrosion with a pitted surface.
L: 55.0mm; W: 37.0mm; Th: 15.0mm; Wt: 126.5g.
5. Bronze fragment. Light green patina, pitted with brown corrosion.
L: 52.0mm; W: 36.0mm; Th: 19.5mm; Wt: 94.2g.
6. Bronze fragment. Dark green patina with a pitted surface and red brown corrosion
L: 67.0mm; W: 49.0mm; Th: 27.5mm; Wt: 283.3g.
7. Bronze plano-convex ingot fragment. Curving cast surfaces and broken edges. Dark green patina with dark brown corrosion with a pitted surface.
L: 91.0mm; W: 77.0mm; Th: 30.5mm; Wt: 666.4g.
8. Bronze fragment. Brown patina with a pitted surface and light green corrosion
L: 40.0mm; W: 28.0mm; Th: 24.0mm; Wt: 124.7g.
9. Bronze fragment. Brown patina with a slightly pitted surface and dark green corrosion
L: 27.0mm; W: 21.0mm; Th: 10.0mm; Wt: 34.5g.
10. Bronze fragment. Brown patina with a slightly pitted surface and dark green corrosion
L: 26.0mm; W: 22.0mm; Th: 15.0mm; Wt: 32.2g.
11. Bronze fragment. Brown patina with a slightly pitted surface and dark green corrosion
L: 39.5mm; W: 24.0mm; Th: 13.0mm; Wt: 42.9g.
12. Bronze fragment. Brown patina with a slightly pitted surface and dark green corrosion
L: 22.5mm; W: 18.0mm; Th: 16.0mm; Wt: 23.8g.
13. Bronze fragment. Light green patina with a slightly pitted surface and brown corrosion
L: 31.0mm; W: 16.0mm; Th: 16.0mm; Wt: 28.2g.
14. Bronze fragment. Dark green patina with a heavily pitted surface and brown corrosion
L: 32.0mm; W: 21.0mm; Th: 15.0mm; Wt: 37.0g.
15. Bronze fragment. Dark patina with a heavily pitted surface and brown corrosion
L: 28.0mm; W: 25.0mm; Th: 13.0mm; Wt: 28.3g.
16. Bronze Socketed axe blade. Part of body flaring slightly to fairly worn and chipped blade. The patina is dark green with light green corrosion.
L: 59.0mm; W: 45.0mm; Th: 15.0mm; Wt: 101.1g
17. Bronze Socketed axe blade. Fairly worn and chipped blade. The patina is dark green with light green corrosion.
L: 36.0mm; W: 43.0mm; Th: 14.0mm; Wt: 71.0g
18. Bronze Socketed axe blade. Part of the body leading down to a fairly worn and chipped sharply flared blade. Possible rib terminals on the upper part of the body fragment. The patina is dark green with light green and brown corrosion.
L: 53.0mm; W: 43.0mm; Th: 22.0mm; Wt: 95.2g
19. Bronze Socketed axe blade. Fairly worn and chipped blade. The patina is dark green with light green corrosion.
L: 46.0mm; W: 37.0mm; Th: 12.0mm; Wt: 62.5g
20. Bronze Socketed axe blade. Fairly worn and chipped blade. The patina is dark green with light green corrosion.
L: 34.0mm; W: 39.0mm; Th: 9.5mm; Wt: 61.4g
21. Bronze Socketed axe - Complete Plainseau type with drapery wing decoration interspersed with a single pellet decoration. Double mouth moulding with a more prominent upper moulding and the broken loop protruding from the lower moulding. The body is long and slender with angular corners leading down to slightly flaring blade. Each body side has drapery wing decoration. The blade is fairly worn and chipped. The patina is dark green with light green and brown corrosion.
L: 116.0mm; W: 39.0mm; Th: 39.0mm; Wt: 277.1g.
22. Bronze Socketed axe -Complete continental variant on Southeastern type with long drapery wings extending down the body. Single mouth moulding with a broken loop protruding from below the collar. The slender body leads down to a slightly flaring blade. The blade is fairly worn and chipped. The patina is dark green with light green and brown corrosion.
L: 98.0mm; W: 37.0mm; Th: 31.5mm; Wt: 171.1g.
23. Bronze Palstave stop-ridge fragment- Low worn flanges with a partially bent flange top. Loop is intact. The patina is dark green with brown corrosion.
L: 84.0mm; W: 34.0mm; Th: 23.0mm; Wt: 190.2g.
24. Bronze Socketed gouge fragment - Plain semi-circular gouge terminal tapering towards the beginning of a semi-circular socket terminal. The patina is dark green with light green corrosion.
L: 48.0mm; W: 17.0mm; Th: 12.0mm; Wt: 27.5g.
25. Bronze Sword blade fragment - Rounded mibrib leading to substantial edge bevels divided by a singular incised line. Dark green patina and brown corrosion
L: 40.5mm; W: 30.5mm; Th: 8.0mm; Wt: 38.0g.
26. Bronze Blade fragment -Rounded midrib and heavily worn edge bevels. Dark green patina with light green corrosion.
L: 21.0mm; W: 23.0mm; Th: 3.0mm; Wt: 6.1g.
27. Bronze Socketed axe loop and collar fragment - Double moulded collar and complete loop. Green patina and brown corrosion
L: 28.0mm; W: 24.0mm; Th: 14.0mm; Wt: 16.4g.
28. Bronze Socket fragment - Sub angular with dark green patina and brown corrosion
L: 29.0mm; W: 24.0mm; Th: 4.0mm; Wt: 18.8g.
29. Bronze Socket fragment - Sub angular with dark green patina and brown corrosion
L: 22.0mm; W: 18.0mm; Th: 12.0mm; Wt: 17.1g.
30. Bronze Socket fragment - Sub angular with dark green patina and brown corrosion
L: 20.0mm; W: 20.0mm; Th: 4.0mm; Wt: 10.0g.
31. Bronze Socket fragment -Curved with dark green patina and brown corrosion
L: 22.0mm; W: 21.0mm; Th: 3.0mm; Wt: 6.3g.
32. Bronze curved sheet fragment - semi circular curved section. Smooth surface with dark green patina and brown corrosion on the inside.
L: 38.0mm; W: 16.0mm; Th: 3.0mm; Wt: 11.3g.
33. Bronze fragment. Rectangular slightly curved with a light green patina and brown corrosion.
L: 26.0mm; W: 12.0mm; Th: 5.0mm; Wt: 5.7g.
34. Bronze fragment. Slightly curved, semi circular cross section with a light green patina and brown corrosion.
L: 24.0mm; W: 8.0mm; Th: 4.5mm; Wt: 3.1g
Discussion
The Southeastern and Plainseau socketed axes broadly dates the hoard to the Ewart Park metal phase (1000-800 BC) (Needham 1990; Needham et al. 1997; O'Connor 1980, 162). The Plainseau socketed axe with drapery decoration is very similar to that discovered at Drieul, Somme, northwest France (O'Connor 1980 Fig 64 no. 7). The continental variant on the southeastern socketed axe with drapery decoration as a direct parallel in the Minnis Bay hoard nearby in northern Kent (O'Connor 1980, Fig 60 no. 25). The drapery decoration is relatively rare in this country though recent parallels are known from Pencoyd, Herefordshire, Braintree, Essex (Butler 1976), Bognor Regis (Maraszek 2006, 606 Fig XVII) as well as several older hoards (see O'Connor 1980, 521 List 122) which includes Wateringbury and Stourmouth in Kent.
The gouge fragment is comparable to that found at Petters, Surrey (Needham 1990, 40 Fig 10 no. 74) and is relatively common throughout the Late Bronze Age. The remaining objects are bronze object and ingot fragments of varying size. The date of the hoard and the narrow width of the sword fragment might potentially be at Ewart park sword (Needham 1990, 51).
The placing of apparently scrap metal in the landscape is well documented during this period in Kent even in recent years with Preston located close to other concentrations of hoards in east Kent (see Andrew Richardson's summary http://www.finds.org.uk/case_studies/bronze_age_hoards.php). Traditional interpretations see these as metalworkers' reserves stored for later use. However, the failure to recover so many stored metal objects implies that recovery may not always have been the aim. The only association with the hoard consists of two fragments of thick irregular pottery/stone. Conclusion
Though contextual details are sparse, it is probable that these objects formed a single original deposit or hoard dispersed through the actions of the plough seems very likely.
Notes:
Continued with Treasure case 2008T638
Subsequent actions
Current location of find: Dover Museum
Subsequent action after recording: Donated to museum after being declared Treasure
Treasure details
Treasure case tracking number: 2008T6382007T58
Chronology
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: BRONZE AGE
Date from: Circa 1000 BC
Date to: Circa 750 BC
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 34
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 12th October 2007 - Monday 15th October 2007
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
Treasure case number: 2008T6382007T58
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Kent (County)
District: Dover (District)
To be known as: Hoaden
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maraszek, R. | 2006 | Spätbronzezeitliche Hortfundelandschaften | Germany | Hall. Veröffentlichungen Landesamtes Sachsen-Anhalt | |||
| Needham, S.P. | 1990 | The Petters Late Bronze Age Metalwork: An Analytical Study of Thames Valley Metalworking in its Settlement Context | London | British Museum Press | |||
| Needham, S.P., Bronk, C., Coombs, D., Cartwright, C.R. and Pettitt, P. | 1997 | An independent chronology for British Bronze Age metalwork: the results of the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Programme | |||||
| O'Connor, B. | 1980 | Cross-Channel Relations in the Later Bronze Age | Oxford | British Archaeological Reports 91 |
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