Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Wootton, East Staffordshire, Staffordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 105.66 mm
Height: 45.65 mm
Thickness: 7.4 mm
Weight: 332 g
Description: An almost intact cast bronze / copper alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date (1000 - 800 BC).


The axe is almost complete (95%), with only a few chips missing from the edge of the blade. The original edge of the blade is not present so it is hard to determine how the blade extended outwards.


The axe is sub rectangular in plan, with the edge of the cutting edge appears to expand / flare outwards to form an convex cutting edge. The expanded blade has a curved convex (crescent shaped) cutting edge which is relatively poorly preserved. The socket is sub square in cross section, with a circular opening (internal diameter 31.23mm, external width 42.78mm). The socket has been emptied out of the soil to reveal a square shaped void extending the majority of the length of the axe. The external edge of the socket is flaring out to form a ridge around the mouth of the socket. The edges of the blade are faceted, with elegant proportioned edges that expand from the expanded blade to the socket. The lower edge exhibits a semi circular moulded side loop (25.65mm length, 11.55mm wide, 4.60mm thick and projects 9.65mm away from the surface of the axe), in parallel alignment to the blade. On both sides of the blade, there are a large number of fine diagonal and horizontal striations, indicating the final finishing and preparing of the blade. A casting seam (central raised ridge) runs the length of the axe from the socket mouth to the side of the blade. The opposing edge to the loop exhibits another casting seam (central raised ridge) running the length of the blade. These casting seams are the result of the mould being used to cast the axe being made originally in two halves. The two sides of the mould are slightly misaligned, indicating that the mould has slipped slightly during the casting process. The casting seams have been hammered, filed and smoothed. Four casting jets are present along the edge of the socket, and have been filed and smoothed off. These two sides are both sub triangular in plan with the apex of the triangular being the point of the blade.


The other two sides are sub rectangular in plan, with three parallel vertical ribs present approximately a third of the way along the axe from the socket, extending from a horizontal rib, parallel to the socket. These ribs are about 4.7mm wide and extend approximately 26.7 mm down the length of the axe. They start 18.75 mm away from the mouth of the socket. A low ridge runs around the axe at the top of these ribs.


The axe measures 105.66mm in length, 42.94mm wide, 45.65mm high at the socket and 46.42mm at the edge of the blade. The metal is 7.40mm thick. It weighs 332 grams.


The axe has a even dark green smooth patina covering it. Around the top of the axe, the surface is a dark almost black colour, which is normally typical of South Wales type axes, however this Axe is more typical of the Bredon Hill type (North Wales type). There are a couple of areas of active corrosion (bright green powdery areas), mainly located on the edge of the blade and in a couple of small sections on the socket. Within the socket, some of the soil has been impregnated with copper corrosion products. These areas need careful observation to ensure that active corrosion does not cause any more problems. Advice from a trained conservator should be sought.


This axe fits within the socketed and faceted axe typology; specifically into the division type Meldreth which is broadly dated to the Late Bronze Age. It is associated with the later phases of the Wilburton metalworking traditions (phase X) and earlier phases of the Ewart Park tradition (phase XII). This corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 6-7 circa 1000-800 CAL. BC. Broadly these forms of faceted axes have a distribution on the Eastern side of Britain and suggest a southern British metalworking tradition (cf Schmidt & Burgess).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder