Rights Holder: Julie Shoemark
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MINIATURE OBJECT
Unique ID: DOR-8CB42D
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A Roman copper alloy miniature axe dating to the period c. AD 43 - 410. The axehead is rectangular with rounded corners and a slight curve along the length of the blade. It measures 13.9mm in length and is 4.1mm wide and tapers in thickness from 1.75mm at the butt to 0.4mm at the cutting edge. The handle is rectangular with rounded ends and is bent along its length. It measures 36.2mm in length and is 155mm wide. It is circular in cross-section.
The axe has a mottled brown and green patina.
C.f. WILT-02CA51 for a similarly shaped example on the database.
Green (1981, 258) suggests that in a Romano-Celtic context, votive axes may have been good luck charms, although it should be remembered that interpreting their ritual function is difficult and this is just one possibility for their use.
Class:
axe, long shaft,
Sub class: votive
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 43
Date to: Circa AD 410
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 36.2 mm
Width: 13.9 mm
Thickness: 1.75 mm
Weight: 0.91 g
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: GSM3
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: South West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Dorset (County)
District: East Dorset (District)
To be known as: Gussage St Michael
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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