Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Trevethin, Torfaen, Torfaen (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Late Bronze Age copper alloy hoard.




1. Ribbed socketed axe fragment



Dimensions: surviving length70.3mm; surviving blade width 44.2mm; width at upper break approx.33.5mm; surviving depth of socket approx. 49.0mm; surviving weight 110.9g.



Blade and body fragment of a ribbed socketed axe of bronze, with the mouth, loop, upper body and one side missing. Three near parallel ribs descend down each face. The surviving axe side is near straight, but slightly divergent toward the blade end, with a slight outward curvature near the blade. The surviving face edges are rounded giving the axe a sub-rectangular shaped cross-section. The surviving casting seam is visible but has been carefully filed or hammered down. On one lower face, there are striations running parallel with the blade edge and slightly higher up, striations running parallel with the long axis and at near right-angles with those nearer the blade edge. These suggest the axe was once prepared and sharpened for use. The original blade edge has been completely eroded away and the surviving edge surfaces are fragile with a light green patina. All break edges are fragile, with a light green patina. On the side which is largely missing, the surviving lower side area is also highly eroded, also with a light green patina. Original surfaces have a grey green patina. Across one face, near and at right angles to the ends of the face-ribs, there is a linear surface scar, which looks modern and may be slight damage caused when the axe was discovered and removed from the ground.



2. Probable plano-convex ingot fragment



Dimensions: maximum length 59.3mm; maximum width 39.5mm; maximum thickness 20.4mm; surviving weight 153.9g.



A solid and heavy copper fragment with two convex shaped sides and highly eroded surfaces. In cross-section, the fragment is thinnest near one of the convex shaped edges and significantly thickens to the second convex shaped edge, which has a near vertical but heavily eroded break edge. One surface is slightly irregular but nearing flat, while the underside has a marked convex curve as it thickens from edge toward deeper centre. The underside has a green patina, while the upper surface and breaks have large areas of brown coloured surface with localised areas of green surface concretions.
Notes: The socketed axe fragment (No. 1) may be identified as of a ribbed form, however insufficient of the axe survives to be able to identify it to precise type. The rounded face edges, carefully filed or hammered casting seam and generally slender, rather than blocky proportions of this axe would tend to suggest that this was not an example of a South Wales type axe (e.g. McNeil 1973; Moore 1978; Needham 1981; 1990, 38-41; Gwilt 2004; Burgess 2012; Northover unpublished). It is possible that this could once have been a Class B Southern English ribbed axe, or a ribbed axe of Breiddin, Croxton or Llanarth forms (Burgess 1963; Needham 1990, 32-8; Coombs 1991, 133 & 136, Cat. 138, Fig. 56; Northover unpublished, 267), however the absence of upper body and mouth elements prevent attribution with any degree of confidence. As a socketed axe, this artefact may confidently be dated to the Late Bronze Age (1150-800 BC), while probably belonging to the latter Ewart Park phase of this period (1000-800 BC).



The second fragment (No. 2) has shape characteristics consistent with being a fragment of a plano-convex ingot. Typical features include a round or oval plan shape, with an irregular but flatter upper surface, with a convex shaped underside, shallow at margins and deepening towards the centre. Its eroded surfaces and breaks suggest the fragment had been within the upper aerated soil for some time. Metallurgical analysis of the probable ingot fragment has shown it to be made of copper, with traces of arsenic and silver detected. Such a composition is consistent with other examples of copper ingot fragments known within Late Bronze Age hoards in Wales (Gwilt et al 2011; 2014a & b). As such, a reasonable case can be made for the contemporaneity of these two artefacts, both of Late Bronze Age date and probably dating to the Ewart Park phase (1000-800 BC).



Plano-convex ingot fragments become common components of hoards towards the end of the Late Bronze Age. Over 40 Carp's Tongue hoards of Ewart Park date, mostly from East Anglia, Essex and Kent, reported as treasure between 2003 and 2008 have contained plano-convex ingots (also termed cake ingots and bun-shaped ingots) (DCMS 2004; 2007; British Museum 2008; 2009; 2010). In south-east Wales, the Cowbridge, Glascoed, Llancarfan and St Nicholas hoards have contained plano-convex copper alloy ingot fragments as a minority element represented within them (Gwilt 2004; 2008). In Pembrokeshire, ingot fragments appear to form a major component of the Late Bronze Age hoards from Freshwater West, Marloes & St Brides and Manorbier (Gwilt et al 2011; 2014b; Murphy unpublished; Northover unpublished, H. 140).



The account of the discovery of these two artefacts suggests that they were probably disturbed from their original burial context and dispersed from each other over a short distance (1.8m) in the recent past. It is probable that these two artefacts, and possibly additional objects now lost, were buried together in the ground at the same time, probably in a purpose dug small pit feature. It is likely that the objects were disturbed and became slightly dispersed through agricultural or earth moving activity during the recent past. It is possible that the mouth and loop end of the axe became damaged and lost when or after it was disturbed.





Authors



Adam Gwilt - Principal Curator: Prehistory, Department of History & Archaeology, Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales



Mary Davis - Principal Analytical Services Officer, Department of Collections Services, Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales



Mark Lodwick - Portable Antiquities Scheme Wales (PAS Cymru) Co-ordinator
Subsequent action: Donated to museum after being declared Treasure