HOARD

Specialist Treasure Report for H.M. Coroner:

2018-T341 Late Bronze Age Hoard from ‘Shropshire Marches IV’

HM Coroner:                            Mr. John Ellery

District:                                    Shropshire

Assemblage date:                    Late Bronze Age - specifically Ewart Park Phase c. 950 - 750 BC

Circumstances of discovery:   Whilst searching with a metal detector

Overview:                                A hoard of four artefacts securely dated to the late Bronze Age / Ewart Park Industrial phase c.950-750 BC from a closed / single deposit.

Description:

1. Socketed Axehead

A complete copper alloy / bronze socketed axe with prominent swollen collar and relatively straight sides which expand near the base of the socket. The sides flare to form an expanded crescentic blade edge. The mouth of the axe is sub-rectangular in cross-section and the remnants of two trimmed casting jets are clearly visible. The internal edges of the socket mouth have a raised lip which has been partially trimmed to remove the casting flashes but remain fresh and relatively unabraded. The mouth moulding / collar around the mouth is swollen with a prominent bulbous or biconical external ridge. Beneath this is a slight transverse moulded rib which extends across both faces and sides and is aligned with the upper edge of the side loop. The side loop is relatively small and wide being set in a low position. The loop is an angular D shape in cross section. On the front and rear faces of the axe, three parallel longitudinal ribs descend from the lower edge horizontal rib. The ribs are complete and taper along their length before dissipating (rather than terminating) onto the lower part of the blade. The external edges of the axe are also slightly raised giving the impression of two additional ribs on each face. The casting flashes on the sides of the axe have been crudely trimmed and have neither been hammered flat or filed. The lower blade has a series of oval and rectangular shaped patinated depressions where the surface has been annealed to harden and strengthen the cutting edge. Further series of diagonal and transverse patinated scratches are present where the cutting edge has been sharpened during use. Although there is evidence for this sharpening it should be noted that there is little other evidence of use (such as differential wear to the cutting edges). The surface of the axe has a mid-grey green brown surface patina. This has laminated in places revealing a lighter mid green coloured corroded surface.

Dimensions: length; 99.0mm, blade width; 54.4mm, socket width 40.6mm and thickness 38.2mm; Socket depth 74.8mm. The sidewalls at the mouth are 6.8mm thick. The side loop is 25.4mm long, projects 10.9mm from the side wall, is 9.3mm wide and 6.4mm thick. The Axe weighs 240 grams

2. Socketed Axehead

A complete copper alloy / bronze socketed axe with prominent swollen collar and relatively straight sides which expand near the base of the socket. The sides flare to form an expanded crescentic blade edge. The mouth of the axe is sub-rectangular in cross-section and the remnants of two trimmed casting jets are visible. The internal edges of the socket mouth have a raised lip which has been partially trimmed to remove the casting flashes but remain fresh and relatively unabraded. The mouth moulding / collar around the mouth is swollen with a prominent bulbous or biconical external ridge. Beneath this is a slight transverse moulded rib which extends across both faces and sides and is aligned with the upper edge of the side loop. The side loop is relatively robust and wide being set in a low position. The loop is a flattened D shape in cross section. On the front and rear faces of the axe, three parallel longitudinal ribs descend from the lower edge horizontal rib. The ribs are complete and taper along their length before dissipating (rather than terminating) onto the lower part of the blade. The external edges of the axe are also slightly raised giving the impression of two additional ribs on each face. The casting flashes on the sides of the axe have been trimmed and have neither been hammered flat or filed. The lower blade has a series of oval and rectangular shaped patinated depressions where the surface has been annealed to harden and strengthen the cutting edge. Further series of diagonal and transverse patinated scratches are present where the cutting edge has been sharpened during use. Although there is evidence for this sharpening it should be noted that there is little other evidence of use (such as differential wear to the cutting edges). The surface of the axe has a mid green brown surface patina. This has laminated in places revealing a lighter mid green coloured corroded surface. A large diagonal scratch on one face has removed considerable amounts of patina; this damage is likely to be from movement within the plough soil.

Dimensions: length; 122.6mm, blade width; 58.0mm, socket width 47.1mm and thickness 47.0mm; Socket depth 85.3mm. The sidewalls at the mouth are 8.0mm thick. The side loop is 30.6mm long, projects 15.4mm from the side wall, is 12.7mm wide and 6.mm thick. The Axe weighs 347 grams

3. Socketed Gouge

An incomplete, broken, socketed gouge; in form the gouge is broadly cylindrical in shape with slightly tapering / converging sides terminating in a broken but re-sharpened / re-shaped flat cutting edge. The mouth of the socket is lost and so the complete length is unknown. A simple double transverse ridge / collar partially survives on the upper edge of the fragment. The casting seams are hammered flat and filed / removed. The blade edge is gently curved, but the original patinated edge is lost through active corrosion. A series of small vertical patinated sharpening lines are present on the blade suggesting re-sharpening and use. The gouge generally has good surface survival and has a mid-green brown coloured surface patina. All damage present is recent and most probably a result of movement in the plough soil

Dimensions: The gouge measures 69.9mm length, it is 16.4mm wide at the cutting edge. The socket has an external width of 17.4mm at the break and a and thickness of 16.8mm; the internal dimensions of the socket are 12.5mm length, 11.8mm width; the side walls have a maximum thickness of 1.8mm. The socket has a surviving depth of 44.5mm and the socket is conical. The gouge weighs 27.30 grams

4. Fragment from a socketed knife

An incomplete fragment from a socketed knife; the fragment comprises part of the lower socket and the upper blade only. All breaks are feathered and commensurate with movement within the ploughsoil.  The shape of the blade is unknown, from the extant fragment it is likely to be relatively short and most probably leaf-shaped. The long cutting edges have been lost. A tapering central rib extends along the blade from the base of the socket extending to the break. The blade itself has a distinctive stepped profile; in cross section the blade is lentoid. The widest part of the blade is at the junction with the socket; it tapers evenly towards the broken edge. The socket above the blade is oval in plan and wedge shaped in profile. The blade and socket meet at a straight line. The depth of the socket cannot be estimated due to damage although the profile of the socket is likely to be waisted due to the extant damaged shape. The knife has a brown patination with a laminating polished external patina. There are no visible sharpening striations along the blade but there are patinated file marks on the upper blade and also the socket.

Dimensions: The knife measures 43.5mm length, 20.0mm maximum width across the base of the socket / top of the blade and is 6.6mm thick at the same point. The socket has an external width of 24.9mm and thickness of 10.7mm; the internal dimensions of the socket cannot be assessed due to the damage; the extant side walls have a maximum thickness of 1.8mm. The knife weighs 13.49 grams.

Discussion and Dating:

This hoard is relatively typical of small late Bronze Age ‘mixed tool’ assemblages reported from Western Britain; in particular from Wales and the Shropshire Marches. A number of similar assemblages are known including a hoard from Ystradgynlais - Penwylt, Breknockshire / Breconshire - now Powys (Savory, 1980: 122 & 190 Cat No 284) or Brogyntyn near Selattyn, Shropshire (ibid: 123 & 192 Cat No 288

The elements within the hoard are noteworthy.

The two socketed axes (1&2) are broadly similar in form although the vary in size and are comparable many examples recorded from the northern part of the Welsh Marches. Good parallels can be seen in a hoard from Cefn, Denbighshire (Savory; 1980: ibid:122 & 192 Cat No. 286.1-2) and bear similarities with the Southern English ribbed type, Class B: Type Welby (after Schmidt and Burgess 1981: 221-3)

Gouges in the Bronze Age are relatively understudied. David Coombs (1971, 251ff.; 2001, 288) presented a four category typology based on the shape and style of socketed gouges in south east England. The form of this gouge (3) might be most accurately placed within his Class I category, which is characterised by a plain collar and narrow blade. Classes of gouges are difficult to distinguish chronologically but can be broadly dated to the Late Bronze Age, particularly the Wilburton-Ewart Park metalworking phases (c.1150-750 BC), though different forms continue in use into the Early Iron Age. Savory (1980, 55) has suggested that simple mouth mouldings on socketed gouges suggest a later date within the type, probably implying a Ewart Park date for the gouge, a good parallel to this example can be seen within the Brogyntyn Hoard from Selattyn, Shropshire (ibid:122&192 Cat No. 288.1) or Guilsfield Hoard, Montgomeryshire (ibid: 186 Cat No 268.64-5 Fig 32-38)

The form of the socketed knife (4) is difficult to place due to its fragmentary nature – it most likely fits with the Thorndon-type which were first classified by Hodges (1956) and can be broadly dated to the Ewart Park metalworking phase (c.900-800 BC). These knives are often found in Late Bronze Age hoards associated with a variety of material and have a wide distribution across Britain. A more complete example and potential parallel can be seen from The Petters metalwork assemblage (Needham 1990:.45 fig.9 no.20 and 75)

Therefore, all the elements within this hoard are consistent with metalwork of Late Bronze Age date, most specifically with material from the Ewart Park Ewart Park metalworking tradition, corresponding with Needham's (1996) Period 7 and dated to c. 950 - 750BC

Context:

During the later Bronze Age a number of object types are often deposited together within specific locales in the landscape. These locales can sometimes be man-made structures such as hillforts or settlements, but are more commonly natural places often near water, such as spring heads, slow moving streams, or bogs / meres. It has also been noted (Bradley 1998 & Bradley 2016) that many of these objects represent offerings or gifts to deities, however, they also represent a deliberate public destruction of wealth and assets (conspicuous consumption) which may cement social hierarchies within communities. The deposition of this hoard close to a brook is completely consistent with this cultural phenomenon.

Conclusion:

There is no doubt that these four objects all date from the same archaeological phase and were deliberately placed together in the ground around 3,000 years ago.

Statement:

This assemblage / hoard of four artefacts described above should be considered as Treasure under the 2002 Treasure (Designation) Order to the Treasure Act 1996 (DCMS: 2002) due to the hoard being a base metal prehistoric find containing two or more metal objects from a closed context.

References:

Bradley, R: 1998: The Passage of Arms. (2nd Edition) Oxford: Oxbow

Bradley R. 2016: A Geography of Offerings: Deposits of Valuables in the Landscapes of Ancient Europe. Oxbow

DCMS, 2002: Treasure Act 1996 Code of Practice. London, Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Hodges, H. 1956 “Studies in the late Bronze Age in Ireland (part 2) Ulster Journal of Archaeology 19: 29-56.

Needham 1990, The Petters Late Bronze Age Metalwork, British Museum Occasional Paper 70, p.45 fig.9 no.75

Needham, S. 1996: Chronology and Periodisation in the British Bronze Age.Kopenhagen

Savory, H.N. 1980.Guide Catalogue of the Bronze Age Collection (NationalMuseum of Wales). Cardiff.

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

Author:

Peter Reavill

Finds Liaison Officer – Portable Antiquities Scheme