MINIATURE OBJECT

A Late Bronze Age to Roman (1150 BC - AD 410) copper alloy miniature socketed axehead of Robinson's Type I (Robinson, Wiltshire Archaeology Magazine 1995, p.60) with concave sides.
The axehead is thinnest at the blade end (1.1mm thick) expanding over the length to 4.5mm thick below the mouth moulding, which is 5.4mm thick. The internal part of the socket measures 4.6x2.8mm and is little more than a dip at 0.9mm deep. The C-shaped loop (7.0mm tall) is cast to the side just below the mouth and is not part of the body of the axe. It has a circular perforation at the centre 2.1mm in diameter.
The axehead is triangular in profile and the surface is pitted towards the cutting edge on both faces. Where the patina remains it is smooth, shiny and mid-green in colour.
The object measures 18.9mm in length and has an expanded cutting edge (the corners now worn and curved) 10.0mm wide. It is max. 12.2mm wide across the top of the axe at the loop. The thickest measurement is at the socket (5.4mm). It weighs 3.02g.
The dating of miniature axeheads is from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman period, although they are more common from the Roman period. Their function is probably as an amulet or votive. This is a rather nicely-executed example and in outline rather more faithful to Late Bronze Age socketed axeheads than miniature axeheads usually are. It is particularly similar in shape to axes of the Ewart Park and Llyn Fawr phases.