Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Tong, Shropshire, Shropshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 51.7 mm
Thickness: 9.9 mm
Weight: 66.3 g
Description: An incomplete copper alloy Socketed Axehead of probably the Late Bronze Age period, dating from c. BC 1000 - BC 800.



Around 50% of the axehead is present, consisting of the body and part of the blade. Some of the blade and the top, and handle of the object are missing presumed lost in antiquity.



The object is broadly rectangular in plan and rectangular in section. The top has been broken and object has been pinched or squashed together, giving a concave appearance on both sides of the axe. The object is hollow. The remains of a loop are present on the left side of the object at the top and it appears there is a join where the handle meets the body. The object may have some decoration in the form of two U shaped grooves towards the top of the axe, however this is difficult to see clearly and could possibly be post depositional damage. The sides of the object taper in, forming an arc on either side, then flare slightly to form the cutting edge or blade. The blade is damaged and part is missing, the blade tapers to a point at the base of the object. This has been damaged, and a distinct cutting edge is missing.



The object measures 51.7 mm in length and is 38.7 mm wide at the top of the object and the blade is 35.6 mm wide. It has a maximum thickness, at the top of the object of 9.9 mm. Where the axe has been pinched the thickness is 5.2 mm and the blade is 5.8 mm thick. It weighs 66.3 g.



The object is a mid green in colour with an uneven patina. Abrasion caused by movement whilst within the plough soil may have resulted in the loss of some of the original surface detail. Broadly similar axes have been recorded in Schmidt (1981), Plate 72 - 75, however diagnostics are difficult due to damage.



EDIT:



Peter Reavill suggests that this is possibly a worn and damged Irish imported, Faceted Axe, type Gillespie sometimes known as 'baggy axe'. It has been discovered in associated with the late Wilburton metalworking traditions (phase XI) and the Ewart Park tradition (phase XII). This corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 6-7 circa 1000-700 CAL. BC. For an example see HESH-05A063. 



From HESH-05A063: This axe is an unusual find in Shropshire whose known distribution focuses on ribbed axes. This type of faceted axe is therefore rare and its presence important. This axe is of a type which is known as Type Gillespie, which Burgess and Schmidt suggest is associated with later Wilburton metalworking traditions (phase X) and Ewart Park tradition (phase XII). They are also discovered in Oreland and are associated with the Dowris tradition. It has been suggested that this form of facet axe continues production into the Llyn Fawr tradition (which is the transitional period between the metalwork of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Similar axes have been illustrated in Burgess and Schmidt and the best parallels are cat no 1109 Grahams Mount, Midlothian, 1112 Hatton, Angus, and 1121 Stanton Quarry, Furness, Lancs. A more local example can be see in the Savory Welsh catalogue from a small hoard of axes discovered at Llandaff, Glamorganshire (cat no 282). This final Welsh axe had been analysed and the metal content was comparable with axes from the second phase of the Late Bronze Age (LBA II) which Savory dates 750-600 BCbut would actually be better described as Ewart Park 950-750 BC).



Reference



Schmidt, P.K. & Burgess, C.B. 1981. The Axes of Scotland and Northern England. Prahistorische Bronzefunde. Abteilung IX. Band 7. C.H. Beck'Sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Munchen.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder