Object: FLAT AXE
Period: Bronze Age
Collection: LOVE, Mr Barry private (1993),680 Kenton Lane, Harrow-Weald,Middlesex., Found by Paul Durbridge using an m-d (92 Colesville Outton Broad, Lowestoft) about 1980 or before at foot of a 35 to 50 ft cliff, on the beach, perhaps having eroded out (c. 12ft erosion ber year!). Mr Love told me on the telephone that he and a friend were metal-detecting c. 12 years ago (ie 1981). He bought the axe off his friend. It was picked out of collapse at the foot of the cliff and the soil was light and sandy.
Site: suffolk,covehithe
Parish: Covehithe
County: Suffolk
Country: England
Grid reference: TM 526 810
Year of discovery: 1980
Length (mm): 124.5
Width (mm): We 80.8,Wbt 27.7
Edge (mm): 80.8
Thickness (mm): 11
Weight (g): 342.2
Surface: Mainly a fine dk green pat.; speckle pocking, esp. at edge; scattered granules adhering; a few brighter green spots; small mod. chip reveals coppery brown colour.
Other: Grid reference shows the find spot 795 metres SSE of Covehithe. Located in the sea about 200m from the cliff face shown in 2005. No doubt a consequence of the severe erosion.
Associations: A second flat-axe was found on a seperate occasion in the field above, c. 200 yds in from cliff top. The field is ploughed right up to cliff.
Description: No flanges; however, slight dishing inside edges; ripple faceting of both sides; punch marks irregular in size and shape and wayward in orientation; tendency for clustering; becoming fainter at haft-end - ?wear; edge bevel poorly defined on rev.; carry grinding marks - transverse & vertical., Cutting edge with intact p., but neatly rounded (though thin); close to one tip is an anc. hammer dent; plus an anc. chipping.
Publications: E. Martin, J. Plouviez & H. Ross 1981,Proc. Suffolk Inst. Arch. Hist. 35 (1) 73-6.
Remarks: Recorded by SN Dec 93