Object: Hammer (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1100 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Kirkbymoorside, Ryedale, North Yorkshire (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 57.01 mm
Thickness: 22.53 mm
Weight: 97.4 g
Description: A complete cast copper alloy socketed Hammer of Bronze Age dating.


The socketed hammer is rectangular in plan and cross section, and cuboid in shape. Each face exhibits a panel of ridged decoration at the top, and U shaped recess at the base. Casting ridges are present down each side, and have been smoothed off. The tip has been bevelled. At the base of the socket, some white residue or possibly clay soil remnants are present.


The socketed hammer is in good condition, with an even surface patina. It is a dark green colour. There are a couple of areas of more recent plough damage.


The hammer measures 57.01mm in length, 24.57mm wide and 22.53mm thick. The socket is 38.31mm deep and the thickness of the metal around the socket is 3.80mm. It weighs 97.4 grams.


Comment from Brendan O'Connor: This hammer has a ribbed collar and a bipartite body. It looks as if the  upper, socketed part of the body is distinguished from the solid 'business end'  of the hammer. The short surviving  length of this presumably solid portion suggests the hammer was well used.   


Comment from Dot Broughton (Cumbria FLO): They date from 1000-800BC and are, like Peter says, usually found in LBA hoards  (e.g. Bunwell, Norfolk). There's a socketed hammer from the Scottish  hoard at Adabrock. They  are usually found with Ewart Park sword fragments, South Eastern socketed axes,  Meldreth Type socketed and other faceted axes and an arrangement of various  chisels and other tools, etc. I think it's the hoard from Carleton Rd, Norwich,  Norfolk that is probably the best example for LBA tools (though there's not  socketed hammer in that hoard!). There are a couple of stray finds on the  database - like LBA axes and chisels, most of them are from hoards, but some are  stray finds. 


Comment from Peter Reavill (Herefordshire & Shropshire FLO): Inventaria Archaeologica Hawkes 1956, and the hammer is similar in overall shape - with the stepped mouth to an example in the Isle of Harty hoard (GB.18.3.3.22) although the base does not narrow and taper like yours. The moulding of the grooves can be seen in an example from the Reach Fen Hoard, Cambs GB.17.3.3.24 which I think is the best parallel. I can see nothing in Evans - agree with dates and associations that Dot provides - an odd one for Yorkshire


Comment from Terence Manby: Finds of Bronze hammers, apart from doubtful fragments, are know from two Yorkshire hoards -  Kilnhurst, near Rotherham, crude plain examples (GB. 41.5 & 6; Schmidt & Burgess 1981, Pl. 138 B 2 & 5) and Roseberry Topping, near Stokesley, plain collar and thicken rim (Schmidt & Burgess 1981. Pl. 148 D 6).       The multiple ridged collar may be comparable with the ridged collars of the Type Fulford socketed axes - Wallington Industry - that are not at all common across Yorkshire and Northern England (Schmidt & Burgess 1981. 176-7).
Notes: 
Find was photographed and recorded whilst at a club meeting.

Subsequent action: Returned to finder