Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE ( to )
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: , Carmarthenshire, Carmarthenshire ()
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Ribbed socketed axe fragment, probable South Wales type



Dimensions: Maximum surviving length 48.6mm; maximum surviving width at mouth 40.9mm; thickness of mouth 5.3-7.2mm; width of upper loop 4.0mm; dimensions runner-stubs (1) near loop 8.3 by 2.9mm; height 0.1mm; (2) face 6.6 by 2.9mm; height 0.1mm; surviving weight 39.4g. 



This is an upper face and partial mouth fragment of a ribbed bronze socketed axe. The axe has a collar, which in profile is vertical rather than everted, with a slightly convex shape and slight rounding at the upper and lower edge margins. A narrow upper loop-stub is present, which is high-set and descends from the collar. The mouth is wide and flat, with two runner-stubs evident beside the loop-stub and at the centre of the axe face. The external and internal plan shape of the mouth was once sub-rectangular with rounded corners. Two poorly defined decorative ribs may be seen on this small fragment, descending from the collar down the upper face of the axe and near parallel with each other. The axe fragment has been bent and distorted in antiquity, probably through hammering and bending to break the axe up. The mouth corner has been bent slightly inwards, making the internal angle around 70 degrees, rather than the expected 90 degrees. On the non-loop side of the mouth, there is bending near the break, giving the mouth and collar a concave outer surface. Near the break across the face, there is also distortion of the wall profile, giving the external face a concave profile and this was probably created through hammer impact. On the loop-side of the face there is a flattened impact facet, which has partly obscured one of the decorative ribs, although it is not certain as to whether this was damage caused in antiquity or during the recent retrieval of the axe from the ground. The axe fragment has a dark grey-green patina, with mouth top and break-edges showing areas of light-green and powdery surfaces. On the non-loop side, the collar break-edge shows a small area of unstable cracking within an area of light green and powdery corrosion deposit. 




Ribbed socketed axe fragment, probable South Wales type



Dimensions: Maximum surviving length 76.0mm; maximum surviving width at mouth 34.2mm; thickness of mouth 5.6-6.7mm; dimensions runner stub - face 8.5 by 5.0mm; height 0.1mm; surviving weight 43.1g. 



This is an upper face, partial mouth and side fragment on the non-loop side of a ribbed bronze socketed axe. The axe has a narrow, well-defined collar, which in profile is straight and vertical rather than everted. The mouth was once near flat-topped, but has become distorted and slightly angled by later damage. The traces of two runner stubs may be detected, a complete one near the centre of a face side and a very small remnant stub trace on the non-loop side, just evident as a remaining slight protuberance on the mouth surface near the break. The external and internal plan of the mouth of the axe was once sub-rectangular with rounded corners. Two well defined decorative ribs may be seen on this small axe fragment descending from the collar down the upper face of the axe. The diagonal break across the face has removed all but the upper short section of the central rib, however the surviving side rib is straight, suggesting these two ribs were straight and parallel. The axe fragment has been bent and distorted in antiquity, probably through hammering while heated, to break the axe up. In plan, the mouth corner angle is around 120 degrees, rather than the expected 90 degrees and there is also a hammer impact mark on the collar, causing the mouth top to invert and distort. Along the diagonal face break, there is outward bending of the axe wall along the break margin and it is likely that the axe side has been distorted, as evidenced by a concave and splaying side-profile. On the interior wall surface, on the lower face, there is a localised tear in the metal, extending 5mm up the face. The break surfaces are markedly irregular, their patination indicating the axe was broken in antiquity. The axe surfaces have a dark grey-green patination. There are small localised areas of light-green and powdery corrosion products along breaks. At the tapering lower face and side tip of the fragment, there is an area of visible and unstable cracking within an area of light green and powdery corrosion deposit.




Plain socketed axe fragment



Dimensions: Maximum surviving length 49.1mm; maximum surviving width at mouth 28.5mm; maximum surviving width at lower loop insertion 37.2mm; thickness of mouth 5.1-7.1mm; width of lower loop 5.0mm; surviving weight 39.2g. 



This is an upper face, side and partial mouth fragment of a plain bronze socketed axe. The axe has a narrow everted mouth moulding, defined on its lower margin by a wide concave shaped and inset moulding. A lower loop-stub is present on the axe side, indicating a narrow loop, the break having removed the upper stub. The mouth was once near flat-topped, but has become distorted through later damage. There are no runner-stubs or scars evident on this partial mouth fragment. The external and internal plan of the mouth of the axe was once sub-rectangular with rounded corners. The face of the axe is plain. Part of the casting seam down the upper loop side survives, indicating the seam was hammered or filed down as the axe was prepared for use. The axe fragment has been bent and distorted in antiquity, probably through hammering and bending to break the axe up. In plan, the mouth corner is around 120 degrees rather than the 90 degrees expected, while near the break on the non-loop mouth, the mouth top has been distorted inwards, possibly through a hammer blow. On the lower face side, there is pronounced denting of the axe surface, giving a marked concavity in the face surface. A localised point of impact with a blunt ended tool with a round head may be observed, while the even patination indicates this occurred in antiquity. The break surfaces are markedly irregular in places. The axe fragment has a dark grey-green patination. Around the mouth top and along break-edges there are areas of light-green and powdery corrosion deposits.




Cast copper-alloy pot or cauldron leg fragment



Dimensions: Maximum width 38.2mm; maximum surviving length 31.5mm; maximum surviving length of inner faceted 17.3mm; surface maximum thickness 20.5mm; surviving weight 70.1g. 



This is a wedge-shaped and tapering bronze artefact fragment, with one flat side, one convex faceted side and two break surfaces, one upper and one lower. The upper part of this object is both widest and thickest, the object tapering and thinning towards it foot. The front face is shaped flat, while the reverse has a narrow flattened top with a side facet on each side, giving a raised angular convex profile. The break along the upper surface has a diagonal downward angle, making the inner faceted face markedly narrower than the front and flat face. The surfaces are all heavily worn and corroded with a light-green and powdery patina, to the extent that the facets on the reverse surface are now poorly defined. The lower break is irregular while the upper break is particularly uneven and corroded, indicating the breaks occurred in antiquity. In one small area along the lower break, there is an area of exposed bronze metal, which has been recently scraped or filed.
Notes: References 



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R.J. Silvester (eds.), Reflections on the Past; Essays in honour of Frances Lynch, Cambrian



Archaeological Association, 237-53.



DCMS 2002. The Treasure Act 1996; Code of Practice (Revised); England & Wales, London:



Department for Culture, Media and Sport.



GGAT 1977-78. 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-



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Late Bronze Age Hoard from St. Ishmael, Carmarthenshire, unpublished treasure report.



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metalwork discoveries from Wales, PAST 75, 10-12.



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Wear, S.L. unpublished Recent Finds of Bronze and Iron Age Metalwork from Margam Beach; with



contributions on metal analysis and axe typology by Dr. P. Northover, unpublished draft



manuscript.
Subsequent action: Acquired by museum after being declared Treasure