dejp3/bronze-age-objects-pas huggingface dataset:
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1250 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Thurnham, Maidstone, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 44.84 mm
Thickness: 5.3 mm
Description: Bronze Age cast copper alloy awl. It is 44.84mm long, 5.84mm wide and 5.30mm thick.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Bead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  ( to )
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Thurnham, Maidstone, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 5.34 mm
Diameter: 15.46 mm
Description: Bronze Age cast copper alloy bead. It has an internal diameter of 4.25mm, an external diameter of 15.46 and is 5.34mm long.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Bead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  ( to )
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: , Dover, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 9.6 mm
Diameter: 16.08 mm
Description: Bronze Age cast copper alloy bead. It has an internal diameter of 6.61mm, an external diameter of 16.08mm and is 9.60mm long.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2500 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Wrotham, Tonbridge and Malling, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 32.39 mm
Thickness: 14.35 mm
Description: Bronze Age axe fragment. Cast in copper alloy. It is 32.39mm long, 22.69mm wide and 14.35mm thick.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Blade (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Thurnham, Maidstone, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 26.16 mm
Thickness: 3.53 mm
Description: 
Bronze Age fragment, ridge on each face. Worn break.

Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2500 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Borden, Swale, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 36.04 mm
Thickness: 12.66 mm
Description: Bronze Age palstave fragment with worn breaks. Cast in copper alloy. It is 36.04mm long, 36.25mm wide and 12.66mm thick.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1250 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Meopham, Gravesham, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 58.32 mm
Thickness: 6.13 mm
Description: Bronze Age awl. Cast in copper alloy. Worn ends. Square cross section. It is 58.32mm long, 6.39mm wide and 6.13mm thick.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Ingot (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2500 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Thurnham, Maidstone, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 54.79 mm
Thickness: 12.13 mm
Description: 
Bronze Age copper alloy ingot.

Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Casting Waste (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Bickmarsh, Wychavon, Worcestershire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 33.62 mm
Weight: 46.53 g
Description: Copper alloy casting waste. The waste is a sprue or jet from a moulded object. The sprue is an inverted conical which is sub-circular in section. The tip is flattened and enlarged. The sprue has a heavy brown patina, and measures 33.62mm long, 24.84mm wide and weighs 46.53g.

Phil Watson (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery) comments the sprue is likely to date to the Bronze Age due to the nature of the patina and its shape.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -600)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Ellesborough, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 27 mm
Weight: 2.53 g
Description: A large fragment of an awl of Bronze Age date. One end is missing and the other end is truncated as well. The central portion is square in cross section. The surviving end has a round section.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-900 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Drakes Broughton and Wadborough, Wychavon, Worcestershire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 27.56 mm
Thickness: 12.76 mm
Weight: 49.69 g
Description: A cast copper alloy incomplete socketed axe. The lower portion of the axe remains, including a fragment of the internal socket and blade. Only the tip of the socket is visible before the axe has a broken edge. This break is not recent as the patina on the break matches that on the surface of the axe.  The sides of the axe taper outwards towards the blade tip. The blade tips are not flared outwards and are now rounded, probably due to corrosion rather than wear. The blade cutting edge is rounded and blunt, and is slightly convex in plan. The surface of the axe is abraded, but has patches of a well developed dark grey/black patina. The axe weighs 49.69g. From the cutting edge to the upper edge it measures 49.59mm, across the blade, from tip to tip, it measures 27.56mm wide from the break to the apex of the blade and 12.76mm thick.

The socketed axe dates to the late Bronze Age, -900 to -700.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  ( to )
Found: Gresford, Wrexham, Wrexham (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: A bronze palstave recovered by metal detecting over a field centred on this NGR and 'a wider area'. Artefact not seen by recorder.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Blade (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Colemore and Priors Dean, East Hampshire, Hampshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 50.73 mm
Thickness: 3.81 mm
Weight: 10.93 g
Description: Bronze Age cast copper alloy rapier blade fragment or spearhead tip. The fragment is sub-triangular, with the two longest edges curving towards the pointed tip. There is a worn, transverse break at the other end of the fragment. Both faces have a central rib running down the length of the blade. There is a very slight groove to each side of the rib, before tapering in thickness to the edges. This gives the blade a shallow lozenge cross section. The fragment is extremely worn on all edges and both faces, which are also pitted. One edge of the blade has a small notch, it is unclear if this notch is intentional or part of post depositional damage. It has a mid to dark green patina, which is lighter in the pitted recesses. The fragment is 50.73mm long, 17.5mm wide and 3.81mm thick.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Gouge (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Crawley, Winchester, Hampshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 50.3 mm
Thickness: 7 mm
Weight: 21.2 g
Description: A worn and corroded cast copper-alloy object, probably a Bronze Age gouge.  The artefact is sub-rectangular in shape and U-shaped in cross-section.  On end is open (socketed) and there is a recess extending from this end into the body of the object.  The artefact now has a light-mid green colour as it has suffered from Bronze disease.
Notes: This record was made at a rally and may thus fall below our usual standards of recording.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Metal Working Debris (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Brockham, Mole Valley, Surrey (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Diameter: 148 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight: 1783 g
Description: 
A large plano-convex ingot of Bronze Age date. About two thirds of the ingot is present.

Notes: In view of the size of this piece this may be considered as a deliberate burial and part of Hoard SUR-0FB890. The weight is 1783g (3lb 14 7/8oz).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Moreton Morrell, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 20.65 mm
Thickness: 6.83 mm
Weight: 11 g
Description: A fragment of a cast copper alloy palstave, possibly. The portion which remains is the butt which is a sub-trapezoid in plan. The terminal has rounded edges, whereas the opposite edge is broken. This break is not recent has the patina covers the break. The break reveals are large void which may have weakened the object and caused it to break in use. In profile the object is triangular, tapering towards the butt. The fragment is in fair condition, but has been abraded and only has patches of a heavy dark shiny brown patina. It measures 20.65mm long, 22.24mm wide and 6.83mm thick. It weighs 11g.

Phil Watson (Principal Curator, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery) suggest the fragment is dated to the late Bronze Age (-1150 to -800) as the butt is particularly narrow compared to earlier examples.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1400 to -1300)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Blisland, Cornwall, Cornwall (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 82 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight: 192.38 g
Description: Cast copper alloy blade from a palstave, or Middle Bronze Age axe, which would have had built up sides and a stop ridge where the broken end is now, to stop the wooden haft or handle from slipping down the blade. The casting seams still remain on both sides of the blade. The axe seems to have been poorly cast as it looks quite porous at the broken end of the blade, and the stop ridge end has also been hammered in antiquity.

"The axe may be unused having been broken during the late stages of manufacture, or perhaps when someone first tried to use it. When you cast a palstave there is a tendency for the septum to freeze before the much thicker centre section. Hot metal can no longer feed into that area which then suffers a lot of shrinkage; as it is the last area to freeze any dross and other debris ends up in that area too. The analysis gave a high tin bronze (15.7% tin) which is much to be expected either side of the Channel at that time. The blade is as-cast and it is rather more usual to find whole or broken imported palstaves in that state than more locally produced ones. I would guess that it came from the north coasts of the Armorican peninsula to as far east as the Cotentin in France." (Report by Dr. Peter Northover, Dept. of Materials, Oxford) 

From its style and thickness, it probably dates from the Taunton phase, c.1400-1300 BC.

The blade is 82 mm long and 59 mm wide and 3 mm thick at the cutting edge and 22 mm wide and 19 mm thick at the butt or stop ridge end.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Spear (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -900)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: REIGATE, Reigate and Banstead, Surrey (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 35.86 mm
Thickness: 6.82 mm
Weight: 18.13 g
Description: A tapering blade fragment from a spear or possibly a sword, of Bronze Age date. The fragment is from near the tip but the tip is missing.The blade has a rounded central spine with grooves bordering the outer parts of the blade. The fragment is light green and, though well preserved, is a little pitted.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Knife (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: GRIMSBY, North Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 83 mm
Thickness: 3.4 mm
Weight: 54.17 g
Description: Cast copper alloy double-edged socketed curved knife. The blade is tongue-shaped in plan and curved in section. The socket is cone-shaped in plan and in profile and square in section with a moulded ridge around the base of the socket. The casting seams remain on either side of the socket. The patina is good, but there has been some previous corrosion which has been professionally removed. There is also a faint mark in ink along one of the seams which may be an accession number or site reference, possibly LINC or LNC. The blade is 73 mm long, 22.5 mm wide and 3 mm thick and the socket is 55 mm long, 20.5 mm wide and 3.4 mm thick. This knife comes from a class of socketed knives made during the Late Bronze Age and thought to be used for woodworking, especially hollowing out. There are about ten of these that have been published in the British Isles and the majority come from Scotland. There are also a couple of examples in northern France. &quot;I had to examine these Scottish finds recently and can verify that they are like straight-bladed socketed knives; a bent spearhead from Bai&otilde;es in Portugal is at first glance similar. In this case, the asymmetrical position of the blade suggests it was intended to be bent, since straight blades are symmetrical with the socket&quot; (Brendan O&#39;Connor pers comm). Evans, J. (1881) illustrates similar examples in Ancient Bronze Implements of Britain and Ireland on pages 209-10. Coles, J. (1959-60) illustrates similar examples in Scottish late Bronze Age metalwork: typology, distributions and chronology in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 93 on pages 46 &amp; 87. O&#39;Connor, B. (1980) discusses the typology for socketed knives from Hodges in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology 1956 on page 178. Double-edged socketed knives in France are covered by Gretel Gallay&#39;s PBF volume (VI/7, 1988).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1600 to -1400)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 84 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
Description: A copper alloy flanged axehead of the Arreton Down tradition dating to the sixteenth or fifteenth centuries BC. The butt is approximately rectangular in plan with slightly flanged edges. The butt flares to form the cutting edge. The axe as a whole is lentoidal in section tapering at both the butt and the cutting edge. It has a pitted surface and very little of the original surface remains. It measures 84mm in length. The blade has a width of 41mm, the body of the axe, 18mm. It possesses a maximum thickness of 18mm.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Blade (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1200 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Crondall, Hart, Hampshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 48.15 mm
Thickness: 4.275 mm
Weight: 14.9 g
Description: A very worn and corroded cast copper-alloy fragment, possibly from a Bronze Age blade. The object has shallow facets and is sub-triangular in cross-section. It is sub-pentagonal in shape having suffered a fracture at one end.  It has suffered losses and is thus hard to identify, however the slight nature of the fragment may suggest a later dirk, small rapier, knife or dagger.
Notes: This record was made at a rally and may thus fall below our usual standards of recording
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  ( to )
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Pentir, Gwynedd, Gwynedd (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 63 mm
Thickness: 17.5 mm
Weight: 95 g
Description: Fragment of socketed axe-head with dark-brown patina. 

The truncated axe-head comprises a curved, expanded blade and flat, plain surfaces.  There is no indication of any ribs on either surface, and not enough remains of the shaft to show the collar or side-loop.  The socket is sub-rectangular, but would have probably been circular at the collar.  The dark patina may have been formed as a result of the burial conditions.

The axe-head appears to belong to Savory’s Late Bronze Age II (c.750-600BC) group of elongated axes with circular, faceted sockets, and bears a great resemblance to nos. 184, 185 and 188 in the National Museum of Wales’ Catalogue of Bronze Age Collections  (fig 24).

The condition of the axe-head appears to be stable, although somewhat degraded.  The patina has chipped off in several places revealing the greenish, more granular surface beneath.  The presence of fine lines on the brown patina suggests that the axe-head has been subject to some sort of abrasion.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Ingot (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1200 to -750)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Ulcombe, Maidstone, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Fieldwalking
Length: 46.47 mm
Thickness: 24.85 mm
Weight: 109.6 g
Description: 
Fragment of copper bun ingot.  Probably of Late Bronze Age date.

Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Rapier (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Witham Friary, Mendip, Somerset (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 22.3 mm
Thickness: 3.8 mm
Weight: 7.2 g
Description: Middle Bronze Age rapier fragment of Burgess and Gerloff Group IV (The Dirks and Rapiers of Great Britain and Ireland, Prähistorische Bronzefund IV 7). It measures 22.3x16.2x(max)3.8mm and weighs 7.20g. All breaks are ancient.

The rapier has a broad flat mid-rib and much of the patina is lost. The surface is worn and pitted.

Rapiers date to the Middle Bronze Age but fragments are often found in Late Bronze Age hoards, suggesting continued use.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -800)
Found: Acton, Cheshire East, Cheshire East (North West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 67 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight: 84.9 g
Description: Fragment of a Bronze Age Palstave axe head. 

This is a fragment from the Anglo-Welsh Series and is from Group I- III (Renfrew; 1974; 198-200).  The surface is very worn and some surface corrosion is visible. The patina is uneven, mostly green but with some yellow/white and grey patches. One side is much more worn than the other. All the edges are broken and worn, the breaks are old. 

Only the middle part, where the flange and the blade meet is present. The septum is present on both sides and is a fairly deep recess where it meets the blade. The top of the blade has a central raised line which could be either shield pattern, early mid-ribbed or low flanged type but due to wear and the the break it is not possible to narrow it down further. This line is only present on one side, this is due to wear. 

This type of axe dates from the Mid-Late Bronze Age.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Flat Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2150 to -1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Pewsey, Wiltshire, Wiltshire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 45.1 mm
Thickness: 7 mm
Weight: 42.17 g
Description: An incomplete cast copper alloy flat axehead of Early Bronze Age date c. 2150 BC – c. 1500 BC). Length 45.1mm, width 37.1mm and 7.8mm thick. Weight 42.17g.

The butt and one of the blade tips are missing and the breaks are old. The blade of the axe was probably symmetrical in plan. The blade expands from the break at the top (the butt end) and originally the wing tips flared outwards abruptly and evenly. However on this example, one of the blade tips appears to have broken and then been re-modelled or re-sharpened in antiquity to form a gently curving edge rather than a flaring tip. 

Severe corrosion and resulting pitting has obscured any blade faceting or hammer rippling that may have existed.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Spearhead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -1100)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Bridgnorth, Shropshire, Shropshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 62.5 mm
Diameter: 12.5 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Weight: 22.2 g
Description: An incomplete cast copper alloy socketed and side-looped spearhead, dating to the Late Bronze Age, between 1150 - 800 BC (length: 62.5mm; width at blade: 13.5mm; thickness at half way down blade: 8mm; outer diameter at socket: 12.5mm; weight: 22.2g).



The tip of the spearhead is all that remains of this artefact. The blade is leaf shaped (length of blade: 33mm; width and thickness: see above) with a lozenge-shaped section as well as badly corroded blade wings that protrude outwards to either side of the midrib (width of blade wings: 3.5mm). The tip of the blade is badly corroded and slightly incomplete. At approximately 50mm from the blade tip, the stumped and incomplete remains of the side loops remains to the left and right of the artefact. It is at this point that the section of the spearhead transforms from a lozenge shape to a circular socket (outer diameter of socket: see above; inner diameter of socket: 9mm). The artefact breaks immediately after the side loops begin to appear. Overall, the spearhead is in a very poor and heavily corroded condition with small areas of the dark green patina still visible.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -1150)
Found: Wincle, Cheshire East, Cheshire East (North West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 167 mm
Thickness: 33.5 mm
Description: A complete cast copper alloy un-looped palstave axehead, dating to the Middle Bronze Age, between 1500 – 1150 BC (length: 167mm; width at blade: 61.5mm; width at stop: 24mm; thickness at stop: 33.5mm; thickness at blade tip: 5.5mm; weight: exceeds the weight limit of scales: more than 150g).

The rear part of the axe (from the stop ridge to the butt) is sub-rectangular in plan from the butt to the stop (length: 70mm) and sub-triangular in profile with the thickest part of the artefact immediately behind the stop ridge.  The septum (the area between the flange facets and the stop ridge) is 70mmlong, 18mm wide and approximately 9mm deep.  in plan from the stop to the blade edge (length: 97mm). The flange facets, which are both complete and give the artefact a lozenge-shaped appearance to the side, are fused to the stop ridge forming two raised elements to haft the axe by.  The butt of the axehead is slightly rounded in plan. On both sides of the axe are partially visible linear scars / ribs which extend from the butt to the cutting edge. These have been trimmed and possibly hammered. It is likely that these scars are the remnants of the two part mold used to cast the artefact.  There are a couple of bubbles at the butt of the axe, which also indicate the casting process.  Immediately below the stop ridge is a slight shield-shaped depression, which seems to be relatively common occurance on un-looped palstaves of this period. The blade, which is sub-triangular in plan and mostly sub-rectangular in section, curves and expands outwards towards the complete and slightly bevelled cutting edge.  On one side of the blade, there are numerous scratch or dash marks that occur directly above the bevelled edge.  Overall, the artefact is in a worn but fair condition with a dark green patina.

Similar examples are illustrated in Moore, C, N & Rowlands, M, 1972, ‘Bronze Age Metalwork in Salisbury Museum’, pages 52-3 & plate VII, ref nos 15-22.
Notes: This palstave was displayed with the following information:
'Found at Cluelow Cross area [Wincle, Cheshire]- given by F. Elmey to S. Frodsham 1907.  Given by S. Frodsham to J.B.Head Xmas 1958.'  The artefact is now owned by Mr Fletcher as noted on this record.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2150 to -1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: , Stockport, Stockport ()
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 31 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight: 76.1 g
Description: Blade fragment of a copper alloy axe head, probably Bronze Age in date.

The blade is very rounded and wide. It still retains a sharp cutting edge. The patina is a fairly even light brown and there does not appear to be any invasive corrosion. It has broken unevenly before the main body of the axe. Its size and shape suggest it is from the early or mid-Bronze Age. 
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Casting Waste (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1200 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Fulstow, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 24 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight: 10.79 g
Description: Copper alloy jet with a shaped runner below.  The jet is derived from casting in bronze.  The jet is oval in plan, slightly concave on its upper surface and convex on its underside representing the depression in the clay or other mould material which was filled with molten metal.  Projecting from the convex underside is an irregularly shaped runner.  The runner is roughly oval in plan with a clean, slightly curved terminal.  The surface of the terminal is much smoother than the rest of the object, suggesting that it was cut at this point to detach the runner from the freshly cast object.  There is possibly the remains of another runner, represented now but just a slight oval bump on the underside next to the existing runner.  The jet has an uneven, irregular surface with an even mid-green-brown patina.  
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Casting Waste (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to MEDIEVAL (-1200 to 1499)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Fulstow, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 9 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Description: A small irregularly shaped piece of casting waste.  The fragment has a very pitted surface.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1300 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Great Canfield, Uttlesford, Essex (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 130 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Description: Late Bronze Age cast copper alloy looped palstave. The palstave is incomplete and damaged. The plastave is sub-rectangular in plan, with inwardly curving edges which extend outwards to the blade end, and the edges narrow towards the butt end. The blade has a curved cutting edge, which shows signs of damage. The blade appears to be plain, with no ridges present, however the surface is beginning to corrode which may have obscured some details. The prominent flanged edges are damaged towards the butt end. The flange continues along the blade edges beyond the stop. The flanges curve inwards towards the septum. There is an incomplete loop protruding from one side of the palstave, located above the stop towards the butt end. Approximately one third of the loop is missing. The loop is semi-circular with a central oval perforation. The surface of the plastave is corroded, with patches of a dark olive green patina showing through the corroded layer. The butt end and the septum are highly damaged, and the upper surface of the metal has been removed.  The profile and cross section of this plastave is unknown. The palstave is 130mm long, 35mm thick. It is 40mm wide across the cutting edge of the blade, and 32mm across the position of the loop.
Notes: Not seen by FLO. Identified from image. 
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: High Roothing, Uttlesford, Essex (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 88 mm
Thickness: 57 mm
Description: Bronze Age socketed axe head. The axe is sub-rectangular in plan, the edges curving out at both the butt and blade end. The axe is triangular in profile. There is a moulded lip around the socket opening. The shape of the opening is unclear from the images, however it is probably rectangular with rounded corners. The axe is damaged at the socketed opening, with just under half of the moulding missing. This break extends down one edge and face of the axe. It is unclear how old these breaks are. A semi-circular loop, with central sub-circular opening is located just below the moulding on the unbroken edge of the axe. The blade end is curved, and the cutting edge shows signs of damage making the cutting edge appear almost straight for two thirds of its length. Both faces are plain and undecorated, there is no trace of moulding on either surface. The surface of the axe is pitted and corroded. It is a dull green colour, with a small amount of copper-brown patina showing though. The axe is 88mm long, 35mm wide and 57mm thick. The weight is unknown.
Notes: Not seen by FLO. Identified from photograph. 
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Sword (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-900 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Little Hadham, East Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 38 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight: 41.56 g
Description: Late Bronze Age blade fragment. Carps Tongue type, dating from circa 950-800BC. The blade is a destinctive shape. It is sub-triangular in plan, with curved shoulders towards the hilt end. The blade narrows towards a pointed tipped end. There appears to be moulding on the blade in the shape of a 'V'. There is an incomplete projection on one face of the blade, possibly a loop however this is unclear from the photograph. The blade is mid-green in colour, with patches of a copper-brown patina showing through on the blade. The cross section and profile of the blade are unknown. 

It is 38mm long, 40mm across at the widest point and has a maximum thickness of 10mm. it weighs 41.56 grams.
Notes: Not seen by FLO. Identified from photograph. 
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Ingot (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1100 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Great Canfield, Uttlesford, Essex (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 58 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight: 178.98 g
Description: A fragment of a Bronze Age bun-shaped ingot. The fragment is sub-triangular in plan. The surface is pitted from the casting process. It is dull brown in colour, with patches of green copper corrosion. The fragment weighs 178.98 grams. It is about 58mm in length, 46mm wide and 23mm thick.
Notes: Not seen by FLO. Identified from a photograph. 
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2100 to -2000)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Weaverham, Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire West and Chester (North West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Diminuitive form of an Early Bronze Age Class 4A flat axe and part of the Brithdir tradition dating to 2100-2000 BC.
The body of the axe flares out into a crescent-shaped blade and the butt also curves slightly. The axe is corroded all over but is complete
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2150 to -1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Ewyas Harold, County of Herefordshire, County of Herefordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 74 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Description: Cast bronze (copper alloy) flat axe of Early Bronze Age date, the sub-type of axe is difficult to identify mostly due to the small size of this example. The axe is sub-triangular in plan with a narrow rounded butt that is 9mm wide, the sides expand in evenly to the cutting edge which is 49mm wide, the blade is slightly convex in shape with a prepared cutting edge which has been eroded / abraded in the soil. The blade bevel is slight. When viewed in profile the axe is lentoid (elongated oval).There is no evidence of development such as a median bevel or raised side flanges. The original patina of the axe is mostly lost through corrosion and lamination. The metal revealed is a light green colour with a dusty patina. In places small elements of possible decoration can be seen; this includes small punched depressions on the upper and lower faces - along the edge, and cabling along the long sides. These areas indistinct due to the abrasion. The axe fits with some of the earliest metal artefacts found in Britain, possibly associated with the Migdale Metalworking tradition. This would date it as coming from the first phases of the Early Bronze Age and is comparable to (although not containing all the attributes of Migdale axes (many of these tend to have narrower butts which flare at the cutting edge). These axes all fit within the earliest phases of metal working in Britain, metalworking stage II, which corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 2 circa 2350- 2050 CAL. BC. This means that they are dated, broadly, to the same period as Beaker pottery, barbed and tanged flint arrowheads, copper halberds and gold lunulae.


The Axe measures length 74mm, width 49mm, thickness 8mm weight 118.4 grams.


The finder has kindly donated this important find to Hereford Museum and Art Gallery
Subsequent action: Donated to a museum
Object: Unidentified Object (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to IRON AGE (-1500 to 100)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Stanton St. John, South Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 29.62 mm
Weight: 8.16 g
Description: Cast copper-alloy unidentified object of a known type usually referred to as 'moustache-like' or 'moustache shaped'.  These items are said to date from the mid-late Bronze Age up to the Iron Age.  The object is a hollow three-dimensional pointed oval and is decorated with a series of shallow longitudinal grooves which run down the exterior of the bulbous or bowl-shaped part of the item which come to a halt about half way along the full length of the item leaving the pointed terminus plain and undecorated.  The patina is primarily deep brown but patches of invasive corrosion have caused a loss of this outer surface.  The interior of the object has a light green corrosive covering.

Due to the surface corrosion it is not possible to be certain that this item is incomplete but based on other known examples (e.g. SF9183) it would appear that this item actually represents under half of the original.  The whole should comprise of two of these pointed ovals bridged in the middle with a hole through the centre of this bridge.  This form gives the items the appearance of being shaped like a stylised moustache or pair of wings.  The purpose of these items is unknown but chape is the usual suggestion.

This item measures 29.62mm in length, has a maximum width (side to side of the 'bowl' opening) of 12.82mm and a width (from front to back of the 'bowl' shaped section)of 11.89mm.  The item weighs 8.16g.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Spear (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (1500 to 1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Marbury cum Quoisley, Cheshire East, Cheshire East (North West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 125 mm
Weight: 69.8 g
Description: Middle Bronze Age side-looped and socketed spear dating to c.1500-1150 BC. 

The spear is almost complete and has been cast in one. The blade is leaf shaped with a raised central mid-rib which runs down to the socket. The tip of the blade is missing and has been bent slightly. The socket is hollow and circular in cross-section with a diameter of 18mm. The two side loops are lozengiform in plan and almost flat in cross-section. The end of the socket has been broken slightly and is uneven. Below one of the side loops is a small perforation which runs all the way down to the end of the socket. 

The patina is uneven on the spear. The blade has patches of black and there are parts all over the spear where the original surface has gone.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Spear (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -1100)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: MANSFIELD, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 132.86 mm
Diameter: 11.6 mm
Weight: 54.8 g
Description: Bronze Age spearhead; small cast copper alloy spearhead with hafting loop on either side of the neck. Spearhead is bent and the tip has been snapped off (then reattached by the finder using glue)

Length 132.86mm, width (at loops) 16.9mm, width (blade) 19.0mm, diameter (base) 11.6mm, weight 54.8g
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE ( to )
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: , Braintree, Essex (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 21.95 mm
Thickness: 10.1 mm
Weight: 28 g
Description: Bronze Age copper alloy axe cutting edge fragment, probably from a socketed axe or palstave and of Middle or Late Bronze Age date, c. 1,500 - 750BC The axehead is represented by the blade end only, with a surviving length of 21.95mm and a weight of 28.0g. The axe is moderately expanded towards the blade tips, with a width at the break of 39.37mm and a thickness of 10.10mm. There is no evidence for the base of a socket along the broken edge. The blade edge has a width of 47.44mm and has a comparatively deep curve. The short surviving areas of the sides are concave and exhibit finished casting seams. The surface is well preserved on one face of the axe with a dark brown patina and sharpening striations are evident running along the blade edge and with a width of c. 10mm. There is the suggestion of hammering facets near the break. The comparatively slender blade edge, out-turning to the tips may suggest a socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1400 to -1201)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Glapwell, Bolsover, Derbyshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 136.5 mm
Thickness: 29.8 mm
Weight: 408.7 g
Description: Bronze Age axe; Late Bronze Age cast copper alloy palstave. This is a shield-pattern palstave dating to around the 15th or 14th centuries BC. The palstave has a raised stop ridge between the flanges and there is a shield-shape in relief extending down from the stop ridge towards the blade. The flanges are quite high, giving a roughly diamond shape to the side of the body of the palstave. 

Length 136.5mm, width (blade) 51.4mm, width (at the stop ridge) 29.1mm, thickness (blade) 11.1mm, thickness (side flanges) 29.8mm, weight 408.7g
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Tywardreath and Par, Cornwall, Cornwall (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 83 mm
Thickness: 3 mm
Weight: 94.27 g
Description: Incomplete cast copper alloy socketed axe head, missing its side loop, mouth and moulding. The mouth would have been sub-rectangular in plan. The surface is worn and pitted, especially along the casting seams, but there is a layer on one face that remains so that three ribs are still visible, between the side edges of the axe head. The ribs extend down about three quarters of the length of the body of the axe head, and the central rib is more pronounced and appears to be the longest. Half of the other face is missing, and has exposed the organic material still held within the axe. The sides of the body of the axe are parallel until they reach the blade which is slightly flanged. The cutting edge and blade tips are still intact, if somewhat abraded. The axe is 83 mm long, 30 mm wide at the break below the mouth and 37 mm wide at the blade, 20 mm in depth and 3 mm in thickness. Stogursey or South Wales type socketed axe head Ewart Park Phase, c.1000-800 BC Rohl & Needham (1998) illustrate a similar example on page 136, Fig.38, No.344, which is referred to as a Stogursey axe and is dated to the Ewart Park phase of metalwork, c.1000-800 BC. Pearce (1983) illustrates a similar example from St. Erth, that is in Penzance Museum, on page 565, Plate 4, No.43a, which is classified as a Stogursey-type socketed axe.
Subsequent action: Donated to a museum
Object: Miniature Object (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to ROMAN (-1150 to 400)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Mildenhall, Wiltshire, Wiltshire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 38.5 mm
Weight: 31.28 g
Description: Late Bronze Age to Roman copper alloy 'model' (Robinson, Wiltshire Archaeology Magazine 1995) or possibly miniature socketed axehead, with traces of iron in the shallow socket (9.2x5.6x3mm). 

It measures 38.5mm in length and has a cutting edge max. 24.8mm wide. At the socket end (narrowest part) it is 16.8mm wide. It weighs 31.28g.

The axehead is thinnest at the blade end (1.1mm thick) expanding over the length to 12.7mm at the socket end.

The mouth has a slight moulding which is emphasised by a groove beneath it. The loop is cast to the side (and not part of the body of the axe as so many miniature example are) and is C-shaped (8.7x7mm) with a piercing 2.6mm in diameter.

The surface of the miniature axe has lost some of its original patina, although it is mostly smooth and shiny and dark in colour. There is no sign of wear on the loop(suggesting it was not worn as an amulet).

The dating of miniature axeheads is from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman period, although they are more common from the Roman period. Their function is probably as an amulet or votive. This axehead is unlike those recorded from Wiltshire so far, which are mostly crude interpretations, whereas this is much more faithful to a true Bronze Age axe. That said however, it is very flat in section and its splayed blade is rather more reminiscent of palstave axeheads than socketed ones. The socket and loop are rather more Late Bronze Age, Ewart Park types.

Robinson comments in WAM 1995 that better-made examples could be used as tools of some sort. He comments on this particular object: "To my mind this is a classic "model" but not miniature axehead. They are always much better made than the miniature axeheads. The example we have in Wiltshire Heritage Museum is 51 mm long which is close enough to yours at 38.5. I had thought that they were Late Bronze Age but could never find strong dating evidence for them".

This example has an unusable socket as it is too shallow.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1700 to -1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Headcorn, Maidstone, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: 
Middle Bronze Age palstave axehead with shield pattern stop ridge and flanges along both edges of septum and blade. heavily corroded surface, green patination.

Notes: 
Photograph and drawing with primary identifier.

Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Flanged Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1400 to -1300)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Thatcham, West Berkshire, West Berkshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 151 mm
Description: A Bronze Age copper alloy short-flanged axe of the Taunton metalwork assemblage period, dating from circa 1400-1300BC. Although the axe is flanged there are no stop-ribs evident and therefore the axe is probably transitional in style and date between the winged axes and palstaves. Rowlands MJ; The Production and Distribution of Metalwork in the Middle Bronze Age (1976) BAR 31; cat no 190; plate 25; shows a good example of a short flanged axehead (all cast with no stops) from Little Shelford - Cambs. Similarly, Schmidt and Burgess; The axes of Scotland and Northern England (1981); Nos. 525 and 533. The axe has a mottled green to brown patination and is 151mm long by 70.6mm wide.
Notes: This find was recovered at a Weekend Wanderers one day metal detecting rally held at Crookham, near Thatcham on 11/02/07. Identification made from photographic image only and therefore this record may fall below our usual standard.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Thatcham, West Berkshire, West Berkshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 20.2 mm
Description: Fragment of a Late Bronze Age (c.1150-800 BC) socketed axehead.  The fragment was recovered during a rally and despite intensive searching of the site no other finds or fragments from the Late Bronze Age era were recorded at this event.
Notes: This find was recovered at a Weekend Wanderers one day metal detecting rally held at Crookham, near Thatcham on 11/02/07.  Identification made from photo only therefore this record may fall below our usual standard.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Treeton, Rotherham, Rotherham (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 46 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight: 51.76 g
Description: Bronze age copper alloy axe tip, 46mm long, 27mm wide and 13mm thick. The object is in fair condition with a green patina and weighs 51.76 grams. The object, especially the tip, is quite worn which suggests it may have been broken in use? It consists of a rounded cutting edge and tapering sides, 27mm long. The break is uneven and it shows that the axes internal thickness is also uneven. Around the sub rectangular recess the axe has a thickness of 7mm on one edge whilst the rest of the axe is about 4mm thick.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Knife (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1100 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Middleham, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 83.51 mm
Thickness: 3.38 mm
Weight: 34.4 g
Description: A copper-alloy double-edged and tanged knife dating to the late Bronze Age, c. 1100 BC-800BC.


The knife is largely complete, with a flat rectangular tang with a circular perforation to take a rivet to attach the knife to a handle. The tang expands to the object's maximum width at the shoulders/base of the blade, when then taper to a point. The blade itself is a flat hexagon in section. The blade is undecorated with the exception of scratches, and the edges are still relatively sharp.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Weapon (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Dean and Shelton, Bedford, Bedford (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 49.5 mm
Thickness: 4.1 mm
Weight: 16 g
Description: A fragment from close to the tip of a Bronze Age blade, measuring 22.4mm wide (max)9.5mm wide (min),4.1mm thick, and 49.5mm long.  It weighs 16.0g.  The blade has a slightly convex section, with a shallow ridge along its centreline.  The blade's tip is broken away transversely.  It is difficult to be certain as to the type of weapon from which the fragment originated, but a dagger is likely.  The fragment is in poor condition, with an uneven brown patina.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Hayle, Cornwall, Cornwall (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 23 mm
Thickness: 7.3 mm
Weight: 9.99 g
Description: Fragment of a cast copper alloy socketed axe head of South Wales/Stogursey type. It consists of the moulding at the mouth of the socket and the upper edges of the ribs on the body. The side loop and rest of the mouth and body are missing. The thick moulded collar with a moulded raised parellel ridge below it and multiple ribs, coming off at right angles from the ridge, suggest that this is a Llyn Fawr or Sompting-type axe. The moulding is sub-square in plan, curving at one edge, at the begining of one corner. There are 4 ends of the ribs present, suggesting that the whole face of the axe would have had about 6 to 7 ribs altogether. Late Bronze Age Rohl & Needham (1998) illustrate a similar Llyn Fawr Sompting-type axe with fewer ribs on page 138, Fig.40, No.405, which is dated to c.800-650 BC. Other examples of socketed axes with multiple ribs can be found in the hoard from Figheldean in Wiltshire, in the British Museum's collections (see Burgess and Coombs, Bronze Age Hoards: some finds old and new, British Archaeological Reports 67).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder