HOARD

A hoard 5 complete palstaves, 1 fragmentary palstave, and 2 copper alloy fragments, dating to the Middle Bronze Age c.1400-1150 BC.

Description:

1) Palstave axehead. A complete copper alloy palstave with a heavily corroded surface making the original surface difficult to examine. The palstave is made from a two-part mould, and the two faces differ in the height of the flanges and decoration below the stop - this is clearly apparent when the flange profile is viewed. There is a square butt at the end of a narrow haft body, leading to a broad cutting edge.

Face 1- There is slight damage to the LHS flange, and both flanges are raised to a height matching the stop. Below the stop is a short central rib c.1cm in length, the rib does not appear to extend down the blade face. The blade flares out before returning inwards slightly at its widest point at the cutting edge, also described as crinoidal. The RHS blade tip has been damaged, and there are also chips along the cutting edge, which appear to be ancient in origin.

Face 2 - This face differs from the above in that the flanges are low leading to a prominent raised stop. There is a small area of modern damage to the RHS flange. Due to the level of erosion it is impossible to see any decorative features or use-wear marks. Ancient damage is visible along the cutting edge, with the LHS blade tip the focus of damage.

Dimensions-

Blade width: max 5.8cm, Axe length: max 16.5cm, Stop bar width: 2.2cm, Flange width at stop bar: 2.9cm, butt width: 2cm, weight: 454.g

2) Palstave axehead. A complete copper alloy palstave with a heavily corroded surface. The butt edge is square with a small amount of damage, leading to a rectangular body before leading to a flared blade that returns slightly at the cutting edge, which could be described as crinoidal. The flange sides are relatively smooth, one more so than the other, on which the casting join can be seen.

Face 1- Two raised flanges lead to a stop at the same height, both flange tops show slight damage. The septum is heavily eroded with erosion welts within the depression. Below the stop is a mid-rib which runs c. 2.5cm down the blade face. The blade is slightly asymmetrical, with the RHS appearing to be curving towards the missing blade tip.

Face 2 - Two raised flanges lead to a stop of the same height, the RHS flange top showing a small area of ancient damage. The rectangular body flares out below the stop into a broad crinoidal blade. There is a potential hint that the blade surface had a central rib running down it, although this is significantly masked due to the level of erosion and the remaining dried soil.

Dimensions -

Blade width: max 5.8cm, axe length: max 16.1cm, stop bar width: 2.3cm, flange width at stop bar: 2.9cm, butt width: 2.1cm, weight: 565g

3) Palstave axehead. A complete copper alloy palstave, heavily corroded. The axe has a narrow rectangular body leading to a flared blade. The condition of the axe makes it difficult to confidently identify decorative features or evidence of use-wear.

Face 1- The RHS corner of the butt displays ancient damage, as do both flange tops leading to the stop. The height of the flanges rise to the height of the stop bar. Below the stop bar is a short section of a prominent central rib, visible for c.1cm. The blade flares out slowly from the mid-point of the blade-face. The surface of the blade is heavily corroded and uneven. The cutting edge is irregular and asymmetrical showing heavy corrosion and ancient damage, including to the blade tips which are both heavily truncated.

Face 2- This face is in a worse condition than the previous side, with damage along the RHS flange. On the LHS flange there is a short section surviving, but again, much of the flange is damaged or impossible to see due to corrosion and dried earth.

Dimensions -

Blade width: max 5.4cm, axe length: max 16.2cm, stop bar width: 2.2cm, flange width at stop bar: 2.5cm, butt width: 2cm, weight: 393g.

4) Palstave axehead. A heavily corroded complete copper alloy palstave.

Face 1- There is some damage to the butt edge and the flanges towards the butt. The raised flanges lead to a stop of the same height. The body of the axe is rectangular leading to a broad asymmetrical blade - the LHS blade edge showing more wear than the RHS. There appears to be the remains of a mid-rib visible in the lower half of the blade, suggesting the rib ran the full length of the blade originally. The blade appears to flare out before curving inwards slightly, suggesting it could be a crinoidal blade.

Face 2- The surface of this face is coated in dried earth, and exhibits heavy corrosion on the LHS of the blade face and below the stop bar. The flanges are raised to the height of the stop bar, but not other identifiable features are visible.

Dimensions -

Blade width: max 6.5cm, axe length: max 18.2cm, stop bar width: 2.2cm, flange width at sop bar: 2.9cm, butt width: 2cm, weight: 540g

5) Palstave axehead. A complete copper alloy palstave, heavily corroded and coated in dried soil. The body is sub-rectangular before flaring into the cutting edge. There is visible damage to the butt end, cutting edge and blade tips, however due to the corroded appearance of the axe it is impossible to say whether this is caused by ancient use of through the process of corrosion.

Face 1- There is damage at the centre of the butt end, however the flanges survive in a corroded state right to the butt of the haft end. The flanges lead to a stop bar of the same height. Due to the level of corrosion on the blade surface, it is impossible to say whether there was any decoration or feature below the stop.

Face 2- The septum depression is fully sealed with dried soil between the two raised flanges. The flanges and stop bar are raised to the same height. Mid-way down the centre of the blade surface survives a small section which is identifiable as a mid-rib. The LHS blade tip is missing, and there are visible notches along the cutting edge.

Dimensions -

Blade width: max 6.5cm, axe length: max 15.4cm, stop bar width: 2.4cm, flange width at stop bar: 2.5cm, butt width (damaged): min 0.8cm, Weight: 440g

6) Palstave axehead (in two fragments). A palstave, consisting of two fragments, one being the butt end of the half section, the second being the blade, the break is ancient, and runs diagonally across the body of the axe just above the stop bar. The body of the axe is narrow before flaring out into a broad blade. Both blade faces show significant corrosion, which will have masked any identifiable design below the stop. The butt end shows significant corrosion.

Dimensions-

Blade width: max 6cm, axe length (blade section): 10.2cm, axe length (flange section): 6cm, axe length (total) 16.2cm, stop bar width: 2.1cm, flange width at stop bar: 2.4cm, bitt width: min 2cm, weight (blade section): 264g, weight (flange section): 83g, weight (total): 347g.

7) copper alloy fragment. Fragment of a copper alloy object, consisting of a length of curved metal, with breaks apparent at both ends. At one end the metal appears to flare out. This fragment is part of a socketed tool or weapon. A small mound of metal may be the base of a now broken loop and the fragment is possibly from the socket shalt of a looped socketed spearhead.

Dimensions -

Length: 2.9cm, width:1.2cm, weight: 12g

8) copper alloy fragment. Plate- like fragment of a copper alloy object, sub-rectangular in shape. The fragment is thin, and heavily corroded. Further identification is difficult due to the fragmentary nature of the piece, but it possibly belongs to a dirk or rapier blade.

Dimensions-

Length: 2.5cm, width: 2cm, thickness: 0.3cm, weight: 8g

Identification/discussion:

All the axeheads described above (Nos.1-5) are identifiable as palstave axes, belonging to the Middle Bronze Age (c.1400-1150 cal BC). They all exhibit features which place them within Rowlands 'class 3' or 'Birchington type' (Rowlands 1976:32-33); these include a long narrow septum socket with a U-shaped section, triangular or convex flanges, with mid-rib design. Using the PAS Palstave Guide these examples would be categorised as 'group 2' ('early palstaves' https://finds.org.uk/guides/bronzeage/objects/axes [accessed 8/6/17]).

Axes 1-5 all show evidence of a partial of full mid-rib, despite the corroded surface, and the blade widths fall roughly within the range identified by Rowlands as Class 3 Group 2 (5-6cm; Rowlands 1976:33). A comparable example to the axes described above is one of the Dawlish hoard, which exhibits the same blade shape and mid-rib (see Rowlands 1976: p231, plate 7, site no.31, axe 2). There are other examples found in Kent, available on the PAS database (https://finds.org.uk), including KENT-56C295.

Fragment No.7 is identifiable as a fragment of the shaft of a socketed tool or weapon, and the slight widening at one end suggests it could come from a socketed and looped spear head. No.8, could belong to a dagger-like artefact such as a dirk or rapier, due to its thin plate-like appearance.

These interpretations suggest a Middle Bronze Age date, and comparable examples of similar artefacts would suggest that this hoard belongs to the Taunton phase (c.1400-1300 cal BC). The fragmentary nature of objects Nos. 7-8 arguably demonstrates that this group could have belonged to a larger hoard which has been disturbed.