MINIATURE OBJECT

This axe clearly cannot, from its diminutive size, have served a useful purpose. It is likely that its purpose is votive.

Found with a hoard of coins and votive objects. The full report for the objects and coins reads:

The Coins

Thirteen of the coins are Roman silver coins of a denomination known as the denarius (plural denarii). The earliest was from the time of the Roman Republic (probably of the moneyer D. Iunius Silanus, 91BC). The latest coins include two of Diva Faustina I which could have been produced up to the end of the reign of Antoninus Pius in AD 161. The latest closely dated coin is of Pius's 12^th tribunician year (an annually renewed title): AD 148/9. The coins can be summarised as follows:

Summary, the Roman coins:

Republic 1

Otho (AD 69) 1

Vespasian (AD 69-79) -

Titus Caesar 1

Trajan (AD 98-117) 5

Hadrian (AD 119-38) 1

Antoninus Pius (AD 138-61) 2

Diva Faustina I 2

Two Iron Age ('Celtic') gold coins were also found: a Southern uninscribed British QC gold quarter stater struck in c. 50-20 BC and a gold quarter stater of Tasciovanos struck in c. 25/20 BC-AD 10. British QC staters are usually associated with the Atrebates and Regni, who are thought to have lived in south central England in the late Iron Age; Tasciovanos is usually thought to have been a ruler of the Catuvellauni. Given the location of the findspot, on the margins of the circulation of both Southern and Eastern coinage, it is unsurprising to find them together.

This assemblage seems to have a slightly longer chronological spread of coin issues compared to other Roman hoards in Britain terminating in the Antonine period (e.g. the survival of Republican and Iron Age coins). It is possible that deposition occurred over a longer period than would normally be the case for a group of coins withdrawn from circulation at the same time and buried together as savings. The non-coin objects from the findspot considered below consist of material that seems to have a votive (ritual or religious) purpose by being miniature versions of everyday objects. These two aspects of the assemblage strongly suggest that both coins and objects were deposited over some period of time as part of a repeated ritual.

The other objects by Philippa Walton, finds advisor, Portable Antiquities Scheme

Six objects were found in association with the coin hoard from Charlwood, Surrey. They comprise four miniature brooches, a fragment of a miniature socketed axe and a spindle whorl. Whilst the spindle whorl is of a type which is not closely datable, the remaining objects are consistent with the date of the coins. The brooches imitate types produced in the late first or early second century AD, whilst the miniature axe can be tentatively dated to the late Iron Age or early Roman period. Miniature Roman brooches are not common finds, particularly examples which could not have been functional. Kiernan (Miniature Votive Offerings in the Roman North-West, 2009, 180) notes several examples from the temple at Jublains, Mayenne, but concludes that these were worn to 'fasten lighter garments or to support the clothing of small children and babies'. However, the presence of miniaturised objects in conjunction with Iron Age and Roman coinage suggests a votive element to activity at the site.

A further object, a leaded bronze vessel foot, dating to the fifteenth century AD, was found close to the other objects and coins in the assemblage. However, its medieval date means that was not deposited at the same time as the other objects and should not be considered as part of the Treasure case.

Date and Metal Content

The coins satisfy the terms of the Treasure Act with regard to age and metal content. They are certainly more than 300 years old and all have precious metal contents far in excess of the 10% threshold.

Of the same find?

It is unlikely that fifteen ancient precious metal coins could have come from the same findspot as a result of accidental individual deposition. This therefore suggests that these coins formed a hoard, or more likely a votive deposit deliberately left as offerings by being buried together in antiquity.

Conclusion

On the balance of probabilities, I conclude that this find constitutes a prima facie case of treasure under the terms of the Treasure Act (1996), by being a group of two or more precious metal coins of the same find. The six ancient bronze votive objects (but not the 15^th century vessel foot) should likewise be considered treasure by their association with the coins.

Richard Abdy Curator, Roman coins Department of Coins and Medals British Museum

The other finds from the site can be found at these records:

SUR-34B636

SUR-017148

SUR-346844

SUR-4557D6

SUR-34A491

SUR-454417

SUR-348DF6

SUR-456E94

SUR-020163

SUR-344BA3

SUR-01BD18

SUR-01E9D1

SUR-019786

SUR-01D306

SUR-3416B4

SUR-5E1755

SUR-C63124

SUR-5DEEB7

SUR-5DE3F3

SUR-5DDA27

SUR-5E29B8