Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Pentyrch, Cardiff, Cardiff (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Late Bronze Age hoard of six objects.



1. Ribbed socketed axe - South Wales Type socketed axe



Dimensions: surviving length 87.1mm; surviving blade width 44.6mm; surviving weight 156.8g.



This is a socketed axe with a damaged and largely absent mouth and damage to the blade end and lower side caused by erosion, lamination and detachment of the original surfaces from the core. The axe has a narrow and out-splayed mouth moulding, the top too damaged to observe its original shape or evidence for runner stubs. The axe is sub-rectangular in section with rounded face edges. The loop is absent, though two scars indicate the loop was high but descended from beneath the moulding. From the underside of the moulding on both faces, three ribs descend over three quarters of the length of the faces. Though largely parallel with each other, they curve slightly and converge slightly towards the blade end. Casting seams are visible down both sides, though they have been hammered down or filed. The blade end is too damaged to observe whether it was prepared for use. The axe has a brown patination and break edges are unstable and laminating in places.



2. Plain slender socketed axe fragment - unidentifiable to type



Dimensions: surviving length 84.4mm; surviving blade width 34.1mm; surviving weight 112.1g.



This is the blade and body of a plain slender socketed axe, missing its mouth end. The sides are near parallel with no evidence of recurving at the blade end. The surfaces are eroded, however there is no evidence of rib decoration on the upper blade and the face edges are rounded. The axe has a sub-rectangular cross-section. The loop is missing, though a pair of eroded scars are evident on one side. The blade edge, although eroded, exhibits a marked asymmetry, probably through repeated use and re-sharpening. The axe has a brown patination and the mouth breaks are unstable. There is surface cracking evident on one mid-face, suggesting surfaces are unstable and laminating.



3. Ribbed socketed axe fragment - unidentifiable to type



Dimensions: surviving length 76.8mm; surviving blade width 31.2mm; surviving weight 28.0g.



This is a highly eroded blade and side fragment of a slender socketed axe. The side of the axe is near straight and shows no recurving at the blade end. The narrow blade suggests a slender axe and the blade end is slightly assymetric, possibly through use and re-sharpening. The feint projecting line a possible linear rib can just be traced on the eroded axe face, suggesting that this was once a ribbed form of socketed axe. The loop is missing, however one loop scar is evident just beneath the side break, suggesting the axe was originally in the range of 100-110mm long. An apparent gently curved protrusion near the face edge has been created through differential erosion of the axe surfaces, the socket wall behind it being even and undistorted. All faces and breaks are highly eroded and the axe has a green patination.



4. Socketed axe fragment - undiagnostic



Dimensions: surviving length 59.3mm; surviving blade width 37.8mm; surviving weight 65.2g.



This is the highly eroded blade end fragment of a socketed axe. The sides are straight and parallel with no evidence of recurving at the blade end. The axe is sub-rectangular in cross-section. Insufficient of the axe faces survive to tell whether the axe was plain or had ribbed decoration. On one face, there is evidence of deliberate impact in antiquity with a sharp pointed tool or weapon, which has punctured and deformed the socket wall inwards in two places. The original axe surfaces are largely eroded and removed and the axe has a brown patination.



5. Socketed tool fragment - undiagnostic



Dimensions: surviving length 39.9mm; maximum surviving width 25.2mm; maximum thickness 12.5mm; surviving weight 20.3g.



This is a small highly eroded socket base and face fragment of a socketed tool of uncertain form. In side-section, the faces are tapering towards the blade end. The linear socket base and surviving width of the object suggest a narrow and flat bladed socketed tool - perhaps a socketed knife or a very slender axe. There is no moulding or change of slope evident on the surface to indicate a socket to blade transition. The lower breaks are extremely eroded, while the upper socket wall is laminating. Surface cracking and lamination is evident on one face and side. The artefact has a brown patination.



6. Jet - two runner form



Dimensions: top surface length 27.9mm; top surface width 23.9mm; maximum height 19.6mm; weight 24.6g.



This is an oval shaped jet of conical form. The upper surface is uneven and has a radial cooling pattern. The underside tapers, taking the contours of the top of the clay mould. Two runners extend beyond the base of the reservoir and are elongate oval in shape, (8.8mm long and 4.5mm wide and 6.5 by 3.8mm in size at root). At one point, an irregular bronze protrusion extends sideways, once infilling a small cavity in the top of the mould. The jet has a green patination, although an area of the underside has a dark blue-grey patina. This artefact appears fresh and unworn.



Discussion (by Adam Gwilt)



One of the socketed axes in this group (No. 1) may be confidently identified as of South Wales Type, dating to the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age (1000-800 BC). The combination of out-splayed mouth, high placed and ephemeral loop, blocky rectangular form, ribs descending from the underside of the collar and poorly finished state following casting are all diagnostic elements, in combination helping to identify it to this type (e.g. Needham 1981, 31; Northover unpublished, 259-60; Burgess 2012, 239 & Fig. 1). These socketed axes and their variant forms a frequent and dominating element within Ewart Park hoards across south east Wales (e.g. McNeil 1973, Fig. 9; Moore 1978; Savory 1980, 49, 120-2; Needham 1981; Gwilt 2004). Here, over thirty hoards now contain at least 140 examples. They are also frequent smaller presences in contemporary hoards across mid and north-east Wales, south western and England, southern England and northern France, with occasional outliers in northern Britain and Ireland (McNeil 1973, 61-4; Moore 1978; Needham 1981, 55-66; Burgess 2012, 241-4 & Fig. 2).



A second axe may be tentatively identified as a ribbed socketed axe (No. 3), but undiagnostic to type. Hoards containing multiple associations of South Wales Type socketed axes are common in south east Wales. Further types of ribbed socketed axes are also known and are also common components within Late Bronze Age hoards of Ewart Park date in Wales. These are variously known as Southern English/Welby Type ribbed axes, Yorkshire Type axes, Croxton Type axes, Llanarth Type axes and Breiddin Type axes (Schmidt & Burgess 1981, 221-39; Needham 1990, 32-38; Northover unpublished, 267).



The presence of a plain socketed axe of slender form (No. 2) may also be discerned, however the absence of a mouth precludes certain identification to type. However, its slender proportions, lack of facets and sub-rectangular cross-section help to rule out many plain and all faceted types, while tending to point towards the axe belonging to a Class A South-eastern type socketed axe (e.g. Schmidt & Burgess 1981, 212-7; Needham 1990, 28-31; Northover unpublished, Cats. 624-53). When found in hoards in Britain, they are almost exclusively dated to the Ewart Park/Carp's Tongue phase of the Late Bronze Age (e.g. Schmidt & Burgess 1981, 216-7; Needham 1990, 30).



The axe blade fragment (No. 4), although not identifiable to type, did belong to a socketed axe. Socketed axes are a diagnostic artefact form of the Late Bronze Age, with the overwhelming majority made and buried at this time. While a few exceptional examples are known in the Middle Bronze Age and certain forms continued to be made and used into the Earliest Iron Age, the vast majority known in Wales and Britain belong to the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age (e.g. O'Connor 1980, 161 & 225; Schmidt & Burgess 1981; Gwilt 2004; Northover unpublished, 237-90). Therefore, the association of such an undiagnostic blade fragment is entirely consistent with a Late Bronze Age hoard of Ewart Park date (1000-800 BC).



The socketed tool fragment (No. 5) is not identifiable to artefact type. Its narrow dimensions and narrow, linear socket base suggest either the mid blade fragment of a slender or small socketed axe, or perhaps the socket to upper blade interface of a socketed knife. The seeming absence of a step between the socket and upper blade and the lack of evidence for a perforation through the wall of the socket are factors suggesting that this socket fragment does not have dimensions entirely typical of Type Thorndon or Type Dungiven socketed knives (Hodges 1956; Gwilt et al 2005, 54-5). However, it is possible that this may have belonged to a knife with a particularly long socket or not entirely conforming to typical characteristics. Socketed axes of small size or very slender form, possessing narrow sockets and narrow blade widths do exist within the overall range of sizes and dimensions of socketed axes known in Britain and Ireland (e.g. Schmidt & Burgess 1981; Pearce 1983; Eogan 2000; Northover unpublished). The width of this socket is particularly slender and implying an axe with a blade width in the range of 25-35mm. Very small or slender socketed axes may be of plain, faceted or ribbed types. It is likely that many had a specialist function, as distinct from the more common and general purpose axes.



The jet of two runner form (No. 6) is the excess reservoir of metal at the top of a mould and a bi-product of the casting process. Jets are commonly incorporated into hoards during the Late Bronze Age, yet are rarely present within hoards of Early and Middle Bronze Age date. Examples with between one and four runners are known. This relatively small example with two runners could have been used to cast a socketed axe, a spearhead or a socketed tool.

The South Wales Type axe (No. 1) and jet (No. 6) are diagnostic artefacts which may be dated to the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age spanning from 1000 BC to 800 BC (Needham 1996; Needham et al 1997). The less diagnostic artefact fragments belong to classes of artefacts that are also consistent with this Ewart Park date. The range of possible artefact types suggested have been found in association with socketed axes of South Wales Type and within hoards of Ewart Park date in Wales.



The account of the discovery indicates that the artefacts were found buried at significant depth beneath the surface and closely clustered together. The artefacts were retrieved from four adjacent and deep detector pits, however no archaeological burial context, such as a pit, was observed by the finder. On the basis of this evidence, a hoard of directly associated artefacts can be confirmed. The finder indicated that the find-spot was within a boggy and uncultivated field, speculating that the hoard may have been buried in an ancient pond or within a river bed. Today, springs do issue into small stream channels in the immediate vicinity of the finds and in this boggy area, although the extent to which drainage patterns may have changed during the post-Medieval period through mining and quarrying is not fully known. This specific watery landscape locality may have been deliberately selected for the deposition of the hoard as a gift to the gods (Gwilt 2004, 121; Gwilt et al 2013, 11).
Notes: References



Briggs, C.S. & Williams, G.H. 1995. The Late Bronze Age Hoard from Allt Gelli Felen, Myddfai, Carmarthenshire, and other recent finds of South Wales axes, Archaeologia Cambrensis 144, 37-51.



Burgess, C. 2012. South Welsh socketed axes and other carp's tongue conundrums, In (eds.) W.J.Britnell & R.J. Silvester, Reflections on the Past; Essays in honour of Frances Lynch,Welshpool: Cambrian Archaeological Association, 237-53.



Coombs, D. 1991. Bronze objects, In C.R. Musson (ed.), 1991, 132-41. The Breiddin Hillfort; A laterprehistoric settlement in the Welsh Marches, CBA Research Report No. 76, London: Council for British Archaeology, 132-41.



Davies, Rev. E. 1929. The Prehistoric & Roman Remains of Denbighshire, Cardiff: William Lewis.



DCMS 2002. The Treasure Act 1996; Code of Practice (Revised); England & Wales, London: Department for Culture, Media and Sport.



Eogan, G. 2000. The Socketed Bronze Axes in Ireland, Prähistorische Bronzefunde Abt. 9.22, Stuttgart; Franz Steiner Verlag.



GGAT 1977-8. Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Annual Report, 31-2 & Fig. 8.



Gwilt, A. 2004. Late Bronze Age Societies (1150-600BC); Tools and Weapons, In M. Aldhouse-Green & R. Howell (eds.), The Gwent County History; Volume 1: Gwent in Prehistory and Early History, Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 111-139.



Gwilt, A. 2008. 1223. Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan: Late Bronze Age hoard (05.15), In Treasure Annual Report 2005/6, London: Department for Culture Media and Sport, 221.



Gwilt, A. & Lodwick, M. 2005. Note: Wick (SS 92 72), Archaeology in Wales 45, 154.



Gwilt, A. & Lodwick, M. 2006. Archaeological Note: A Late Bronze Age Metalwork Hoard from Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan, Morgannwg 50, 186.



Gwilt, A. & Lodwick, M. 2013. Archaeological Note: A Late Bronze Age Hoard from Colwinston, Vale of Glamorgan, Morgannwg 57, 162-5. 



Gwilt, A., Johnson, S.L., Lodwick, M. & Davis, M. 2011. Treasure Act 1996 (Case 11.10 Wales); A Late Bronze Age Hoard from St. Ishmael, Carmarthenshire, unpublished treasure report.



Gwilt, A., Kucharski, K., Silvester, R. & Davis, M. 2005. A Late Bronze Age Hoard from Trevalyn Farm, Rossett, Wrexham, Studia Celtica 39, 27-61.



Gwilt, A., Lodwick, M. & Worrell, S. 2013. Reporting Finds, sharing treasures: Bronze Age metalwork discoveries from Wales, PAST 75, 10-12.



Hodges, H.W.M. 1956. Studies in the Late Bronze Age in Ireland; 2. The typology and distribution of bronze implements, Ulster Journal of Archaeology 19, 29-56. 



Hussey, M.S. 1964-66. Final Excavations at the Lesser Garth Cave, Pentyrch, Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society 93, 18-39.



Lodwick, M. & Gwilt, A. 2007. 486. Wick, the Vale of Glamorgan; Late Bronze Age base- metal hoard (04.7), Treasure Annual Report 2004, London: Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 200 & 319.



Lynch, F. 1991. Prehistoric Anglesey; The Archaeology of the Island to the Roman Conquest, Llangefni: The Anglesey Antiquarian Society (2nd edition).



McNeil, R. 1973. A Report on the Bronze Age Hoard from Wick Park, Stogursey, Somerset, Proceedings of the Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society 117, 47-64.



Metcalf, V. & Lambert, I.G. 1979. Note: Peterston-super-Ely (ST 07567547), Archaeologyin Wales, 19, 17.



Moore, C.N. 1978. The South Welsh Axe; its origins and distribution, Archaeological Journal 135, 57-66.



Musson, C.R. 1991. The Breiddin Hillfort; A later prehistoric settlement in the Welsh Marches, CBA Research Report No. 76, London: Council for British Archaeology.



Needham, S.P. 1981. The Bulford-Helsbury Manufacturing Tradition; The production of Stogursey socketed axes during the Late Bronze Age in Southern Britain, British Museum Occasional Paper No. 13, London: British Museum.



Needham, S.P. 1990. The Petters Late Bronze Age Metalwork; An analytical study of Thames Valley metalworking in its settlement context, British Museum Occasional Paper No. 70.



Needham, S. 1996. Chronology and Periodisation in the British Bronze Age, Acta Archaeologica 67, 121-40.



Needham, S. Ramsey, C.B., Coombs, D., Cartwright, C. & Pettitt, P. 1997. An Independent Chronology for British Bronze Age Metalwork: The Results of the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Programme, Archaeological Journal 154, 55-107.



Northover, J.P. unpublished Bronze Age Metalwork from Wales and the Marches, unpublishedmanuscript and catalogue.



O'Connor, B. 1980. Cross-Channel Relations in the Later Bronze Age; Relations between Britain, North-Eastern France and the Low Countries during the Later Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age, with particular reference to the metalwork, Oxford: BAR International Series 91 (2 vols.).



Pearce, S.M. 1983. The Bronze Age Metalwork of South Western Britain, Oxford: BAR British Series 120 (2 vols.).



RCAHMW 1976. An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan; Volume I: Pre-Norman; Part I - The Stone and Bronze Ages, Cardiff: HMSO.



Savory, H.N. 1966. A Find of Early Iron Age Metalwork from the Lesser Garth, Pentyrch (Glam.), Archaeologia Cambrensis 115, 27-44.



Savory, H.N. 1980. Guide Catalogue of the Bronze Age Collections, Cardiff: National Museum of Wales.



Savory, H.N. 1984. Appendix I, In H.N. Savory (ed.), Glamorgan County History; VolumeII: Pre-History and Early History, Cardiff: Glamorgan County History Trust Limited, 405-55.



Schmidt, P.K. & Burgess C.B. 1981. The Axes of Scotland and Northern England, Prähistorische Bronzefunde Abt. IX.7, München: C.H.Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung.



Storrie, J. 1887. Interesting Discovery at Llantwit Major, Archaeologia Cambrensis 4 (5th series), 151-55.
Subsequent action: Acquired by museum after being declared Treasure