HOARD

Two bronze socketed axes of Late Bronze Age date 1.0 South Wales Variant Type socketed axe Length 101.0mm; blade width 50.0mm; weight (prior to conservation) 354.9g. This is a complete bronze socketed axe of slender and rectangular form. The mouth moulding is deeper (approx. 10mm), thicker and less outsplayed than is typical of the type and the loop extends from the underside of the moulding. The axe has a sub-rectangular shaped mouth in plan view with four runner scars around the top surface, indicating a four-runner casting technology. The axe has slightly divergent and concave sides expanding slightly near the blade edge. Three longitudinal ribs descend from the mouth moulding down both faces of the axe, on one face being parallel and on the other slightly convergent. Both local prominences and gaps in the ribs suggest the re-use of a previously well used mould set. Casting flashes down the sides of the axe have been finished by rapid hammering, though remain prominent. There is little visible evidence of blade preparation on the one surviving blade bevel, the other original surface having been removed by corrosion. The axe has been deliberately damaged in antiquity and prior to burial, as evidenced by three impact scars, two on the mid-face on one side and one on the mid-face of the other. The shape of the scars suggests impact with another thick bladed implement, such as an axe. The axe has a grey-green patina, with small areas of lighter green patination and corrosion around the mouth and blade edges. 2.0 South Wales Type socketed axe Surviving length 79.2mm; surviving blade width 42.0mm; surviving weight (prior to conservation) 205.9g. This is a virtually complete bronze socketed axe, which is small and rectangular in cross-section. The blade edge and bevel has been badly damaged and corroded. The axe has an outsplayed mouth moulding and a high loop. The external mouth is sub-oval in plan view however the internal edge is rectangular in shape. Four prominent and un-filed runner stubs protrude around the moth top, indicating a four-runner casting technology. The axe has slightly divergent but straight sides, widening slightly at the balde end. Three very prominent and near parallel longitudinal ribs descend from the mouth moulding down both faces of the axe. Gaps and variable heights and rib definition on one face suggest the re-use of a well used mould piece. The face edges on both faces are slightly raised (though less prominent than the ribs) giving a pronounced angular profile. Prominent casting flashes down the sides indicate minimal preparation after casting by rapid hammering. The blade edge is damaged, though striations on the blade bevels and parallel with the blade edge indicate some preparation of the blade. The axe has a dark green patination, with areas of pale green corrosion around the mouth and blade edge. On one upper face, there are small patches of blue-green corrosion, consistent with possible burning of the axe before burial. These two bronze socketed axes were buried during the Ewart Park pahse of the Late Bronze Age and date to between 1000-800BC (Needham 1996; Needham et al 1997). South Wales Type axes and their Variants were commonly made and used in south east Wales at this time (McNeil 1973, Fig. 9; Moore 1978; Savory 1980; Needham 1981). Over 30 hoards containing more than 140 examples are known from this region (e.g. Needham 1981; Gwilt 2004), making it the core area within Britain for their burial in hoards. In Monmouthshire, the Llangwm, Glascoed, Coed Ithel, Llanddewi Rhydderch, Llantilio Pertholey, Llanvihangel Gobion and St Arvans hoards contain examples of these ribbed socketed axes (e.g. Gwilt 2004, 132-4, Appendix 2). A further forty single examples of South Wales type axe finds are now also known from south east Wales, with a further fifteen from the rest of Wales. However, they were also made and used across south western and central southern England, either as minor components of hoards or as single finds. A few examples circulated as far as northern Britain, Ireland and northern France (McNeil 1973, Appendix 63-4; Moore 1978, Appendix I, 61-5; Needham 1981, Appendix, 56-66). The discovery of two South Wales Type socketed axes in close proximity (approximately 2.5m apart from each other), strongly suggests that they were once buried as a hoard in direct association with each other. Their slight dispersal is most convincingly explained as caused by recent ploughing activity, leading to their dislodgement from an original burial context and dispersal into the overlying ploughsoil. Archaeological investigation of the approximate area of the find-spot for the larger socketed axe (No. 1 above) failed to reveal evidence for the recent detector pit, in which the axe was found. However, the recently disturbed upper ploughsoil was observed to be 0.25-0.30m deep here, while the larger axe was reported as found at a depth of 0.17-0.20m . Even allowing for the slight thickening of the ploughsoil caused by recent ploughing activity (i.e. loosening and aeration of the soil), it is likely that the three recent detector pits were all almost entirely restricted to within the ploughsoil layer. This provides additional evidence in support of the interpretation that the axes had recently been disturbed from their original burial context - probably a small Bronze Age pit - and dragged upwards into the ploughsoil during a recent ploughing event.