SPEARHEAD

Cast bronze (copper alloy) side looped and socketed spear (spearhead) of Middle Bronze Age date (1500 - 1150 BC). The spearhead is broadly sub-triangular (conical) in plan and profile with an incomplete and abraded sub-oval / leaf-shaped blade. The hollow socket is near complete with a small area of relatively modern damage at the base. Two single cast 'string' side loops are present, one on either edge. The tip of the spearhead is lost and both the side blades have been much abraded in the soil, loosing most of their shape and also the cutting edges. It is probable that the overall shape of the blade was originally leaf-shaped. The surviving width of the blade is 11.6mm. The centre of the blade is divided by a tapering (tip to base) lozenge shaped midrib, which projects further on one face than the other and terminates on both sides below the side loops but above the base of the socket. The socket of the spearhead is best described as being conical in shape. The mouth of the socket is slightly crushed and distorted. This crushing has caused the splitting of the metal and slight feathering of the base. Positioned approximately 1/3 of the length of the socket parallel with the blade are two heavily abraded very slight oval shaped string loops. The loop has a maximum length of 12.4mm, and width 2.4mm. The cross section of the loop is lentoid. These loops would have originally been used to help attach and secure the spearhead to the wooden shaft. They also may have been used as suspension loops for some form of tassel or decoration. There are no visible areas of cast or incised decoration on the spearhead. The casting seams on either edge of the spear have trimmed and hammered flat. The spearhead is a mid-greenish brown colour with an even but corroded patina. The patina has been abraded in several areas and there are several areas with an unstable surface. Some of these unstable surfaces have been caused by corrosion, which has caused the metal to laminate slightly.

The spearhead has been examined by Pieta Greaves of the Conservation Department at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery / Birmingham Museums Trust. Whilst there the surface of the spearhead was tested using XRF to ascertain the composition; an area of modern damage was targeted to give a more accurate representation of the spear. This test showed that the alloy consisted of 55.17 % Copper (Cu), 34.27 Tin (Sn), 10.24% Iron (Fe), and 0.31% Lead (Pb). The high tin content is likely due to differential surface corrosion and the high, Iron content suggests that the area of deposition was relatively wet. The spearhead was also X-Rayed - which showed the elegant conical profile of the socket which terminates just below the extant tip of the spear. There was no evidence of organic remains within the socket - such as the preserved remnants of wooden spear-shaft.

Similar looped spearheads have been classified by Margaret Ehrenberg as Class IV dated to the Middle Bronze Age specifically the second phase of Acton Park (2), Taunton (Cemmaes) or Pennard metalworking traditions. This example aslo fits well with Richard Davis Type 6 (probably type 6a - flame - although the spearhead is far too worn to be certain of this sub-classification). Within this type - this example is smaller than the average (100mm-200mm) but not unprecidented. Davis dates his Type 6 to the later Acton Park phase (1500-1300 BC) of the Middle Bronze Age the Taunton phase (1400 - 1200BC) and the early Penard phase (1250-1150BC) These phases correspond with Needham's Period 5 (c. 1500 - 1150 BC). Two similar examples of the overall style of spearhead are illustrated in Savory: Guide Catalogue to the Bronze Age Collections ref: 230, Llanbeblig, Caern. and 337:2 Nantcwnlle, Cards. The later example was discovered in an excavation of a burial mound in association with a Pygmy Cup. The metal of this example has been analysed and found to be of Cemmaes metal (which corresponds to Taunton phase) dated to the period 1400-1200 BC.

The spearhead measures 72.8mm length, has a maximum width (across base of socket) 12.9mm and maximum thickness of 12.5mm. The depth of the socket (based on the X-Ray) is 69.1mm. The spearhead weighs 18.6 grams (although the socket is full of soil).