HOARD

Treasure case 2013 T44.

1. Socketed axehead. Complete, cast, copper alloy socketed axehead with loop and moulded collar. Type Yorkshire.

Three parallel ribs are visible on both faces of the axe and extend for less than half the length of the face (c.25mm) from a horizontal collar that runs around the axe near the collar. The collar is prominent and everted while the mouth is sub-rectangular (nearly square) in plan. Casting seams are visible on both sides of the axehead, although they are less pronounced on the loop side. One blade tip has been flattened. Hammer marks are visible above the cutting edge. Striations running in different directions on the surface of the axe blade represent use-wear. The surface of the axehead has a dark green patina, there are several patches of lighter green corrosion damage where the original surface has flaked away.

Weight: 184.5g; Dimensions: Length: 81mm; Width of blade: 53mm; Socket height: 30mm; Socket width: 25mm; Socket rim thickness: 4.75-7mm; Length of loop: 20mm; Thickness of loop: 3-4mm; Breadth of loop: 6.5-9mm; Diameter of loop (internal) 6mm; Diameter of loop (external): 10mm.

2. Socketed axehead. Complete, cast, copper alloy socketed axehead with loop and moulded collar. Type Yorkshire.

Three ribs are visible on one face although one has broken away and flaking to the opposite face has removed any trace. The original surface patina is missing for a considerable area (c.50-60%) and generally the axehead is in a poorer state of preservation than axehead No. 1. Two internal 'haft ribs' are visible on the face sides of the socket. The collar is prominent and everted while the mouth is sub-rectangular (nearly square) in plan. Casting seams are visible on both sides of the axe.

Weight: 147g; Dimensions: Length: 79mm ; Width of blade: 41mm; Socket height: 38mm; Socket width: 34mm; Socket rim thickness: 3-6mm; Length of loop: 19mm; Breadth of loop: 6.5mm; Thickness of loop: 3mm; Diameter of loop (internal): 9mm; Diameter of loop (external): 8mm.

3. Socketed axehead fragment. Incomplete, cast, fragment of blade and body from a copper alloy socketed axehead. Type Yorkshire.

Casting seams are still visible on both sides of the axehead. Dark green patina with some patches of corrosion, especially at the edges of the blade. This fragment joins with No. 4 and was probably broken in antiquity.

Weight: 51g; Dimensions: Length (surviving): 41mm (max.) - 35mm (min.); Width of blade: 43mm; Wall thickness at break: 2-2.5mm.

4. Socketed axehead fragment. Incomplete, cast, fragment from mouth and body (including loop) from a copper alloy socketed axehead. Type Yorkshire.

A seam is visible on the surviving side of the blade, running over the loop. Lighter green coloured corrosion within socket. Three well defined parallel ribs are visible on the surviving face of the axehead.

Weight: 50.4g; Dimensions: Length (surviving): 51mm (max.) - 45.5mm (min.); Socket width: 37mm; Wall thickness at break: 2mm; Length of loop: 22mm; Breadth of loop: 8mm; Thickness of loop: 3mm; Diameter of loop (internal):7mm; Diameter of loop (external): 10mm.

Note: Complete axe face consisting of fragments Nos. 3 and 4 has length: 86mm. Together they constitute only 65-70 % of an axehead.

5. Socketed axehead fragment. Incomplete, cast, fragment from mouth and body (including base of the loop) of a copper alloy socketed axehead.

Dark green patina with patches of corrosion damage. Probably broken in antiquity.

Weight: 11.7g; Dimensions: Length (surviving): 20mm; Width: 28mm; Wall thickness at break: 4mm

6. Twisted copper alloy wire. Two lengths of copper alloy wire twisted together and bent into an 'L' shape, with dark green corroded surfaces similar in colour to the corrosion damage of the socketed axes (Nos. 1-5).

Weight: 2.7g; Dimensions: Diameter (both strands): 4mm; Diameter (single strand): 2mm; Length: c.46mm

Discussion

The axeheads in this group can be dated by typology to the Late Bronze Age and particularly the period c.1000-800 BC. The two complete axeheads and the joining fragments of a third axehead (Nos. 3 and 4) belong to Type Yorkshire based on the typological features identified above, including size, morphology and the presence of three parallel ribs (the outer two set close to the edge of the body sides) running less than half the length of the blade face (Schmidt and Burgess 1981, 223-9).

Type Yorkshire socketed axes are a well-represented in northern Britain and have a distribution strongly centred on Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, extending into East Anglia in the south and North-East England and central Scotland in the north (Schmidt and Burgess 1981, 223, pl.130; cf. Needham's Type E: 1993, 41-53). These finds fit neatly into this general distribution pattern.

Sections of copper alloy wire are known from other LBA assemblages and hoards (e.g. Pearce 1983, 490-1, 700, pl.153). Lengths of twisted wire such as No. 6, while not easy to parallel, do not represent a great deal of additional investment of technological skill or effort.

Conclusion

This find consists of two largely complete and two fragmentary Late Bronze Age axeheads together with a length of twisted wire. It therefore qualifies as Treasure under the 2002 Treasure (Designation) Order of the Treasure Act 1996 as it is a find of two or more base metal objects of prehistoric date.

References

Needham, S. 1993. 'The Beeston Castle Bronze Age metalwork and its significance' In Ellis, P. (ed.) Beeston Castle, Cheshire: a report on the excavations 1968-85. London: English Heritage

Pearce, S.M. 1983. The Bronze Age Metalwork of South Western Britain, British Archaeological Reports, British Series 120 (2 vols.)

Schmidt, P.K. and Burgess, C.B. 1981. The axes of Scotland and Northern England. Prahistorische Bronzefund Abteulung IX - Band 7, Munich.

Author:

Neil Wilkin

Curator, Bronze Age Collection

The British Museum

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