dejp3/bronze-age-objects-pas huggingface dataset:
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1400 to -1200)
Found: Henfield, Horsham, West Sussex (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 108.7 mm
Thickness: 23.9 mm
Weight: 168 g
Description: 1400-1200BC. Middle Bronze Age. Copper alloy - bronze, cast, looped, relatively narrow palstave. Length 108.7mm, Width 27.8mm, Thickness 23.9mm, Weight 168g. This palstave has the stop-ridge fused to small flanges to form a pocket on each face of the tool which split or folked ends of the wooden handle could be attached. There was a single loop now missing added onto the lower surface of the axe to enable it to be fastened more securely to the haft. This has broken away in antiquity. Possibly resulting in the loss of the axe. This palstave has a plain blade of narrow shape with a fine casting seam. Approximately 70% of the axe has an olive green patina but there is surface corrosion on the rest with loss of the end of the butt and possibly some of the cutting edge of the blade. Ref. Bronze Age Metalwork in Norwich Castle Museum, Norfolk Museum Service 1977, 2nd Edition 1977, The Gallpen Press Ltd, Norwich, page 13-15 Fig. 20.
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Alcester, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 114.04 mm
Thickness: 40.74 mm
Description: A cast bronze faceted socketed axehead. The mouth of the socket, in the interior, is almost circular in plan and measures 29.8mm diameter. The exterior has a single prominent moulded ridge around the mouth rim. Below the rim there is a more feint ridge which is sited just above the side loop. On one side there is an integral loop which is semi-circular in plan and a sub-lozenge in section. Extending from the more feint moulded ridge there are multiple ribs on both faces, five on one face and seven on the other. In plan the axe has slightly concave sides with a slight flaring at the blade. The blade is heavily abraded and the original edge is now lost. The sides of the axe form a shallow ‘<’ shape in section with a casting seam at the apex. The side casting seams have been smoothed slightly, but are still visible. When these seams extend to the mouth rim, the seams have been smoothed to become almost flat. Approximately half of the socket is filled with what appears to be soil rather than organic remains. The socket has been recently cleaned. The surface of the axe has a shiny mid blue/green patina covering the majority of the axe, otherwise there are areas of abrasion and corrosion. There are slight traces of a shiny grey surface on the axe as well. The axe measures 114.04mm in length, 45.22mm wide across the apex of the loop and upper portion of the axe, and is 40.74mm thick across the mouth rim. 

The axe dates to the Ewart Park phase c.1000 – c. 800 BC.
Object: Razor (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1150 to -800)
Found: Wold Newton, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire ()
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 54.97 mm
Thickness: 3.21 mm
Weight: 11.5 g
Description: Late Bronze Age razor fragment.

It is very worn and little remains of the actual blade. What remains is sub-triangular in plan with a flattened end where it has broken. The sides are worn. It has a tang which is sub-triangular in plan (the widest end meeting the blades widest end) and also worn.  

It is very thin all over with the edges being thinnest.
Object: Winged Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-875 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Sketty, Swansea, Swansea (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 1360.9 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight: 282.8 g
Description: Late Bronze Age bronze end-winged axe, belonging to the Carp's Tongue complex of Ewart Park metalworking, corresponding to Needham's (1996) Period 7 and dated to c. 950-750BC.



The winged axe is incomplete, missing both wings on the unlooped side (the axe has an overall length of 1360.9mm and a weight of 282.8g). The butt protrudes beyond the return of the wings (by 14mm) and expands to the end (with a width of 22.4mm and a thickness of 6.1mm). The end of the butt has two 'horns' each side of a central rectangular break, which would have been attached to the casting jet before removal. The sides of the axe are straight and converge slightly towards the start of the blade (where the axe has a maximum body width behind the loop of 27mm and a minimum width at the stop of 21.8mm). The loop is positioned towards the rear of the wings (and has a length of 20.7mm, a height of 8.7mm, giving the axe an overall width of 34.6mm, a thickness of 6mm and an aperture of 7.4mm x 5.3mm). The remains of the casting seams are discernible along both sides. The wings diverge sharply to their apices before returning more gradually to the blade. The wings are only partially turned-over and were unlikely to have been closed (the wings have a maximum height of 36.4mm, a length of 48.7mm and a thickness of 4.7mm). Both the wings on the unlooped side have broken in antiquity (with a surviving height of 23mm) a stress fracture near the blade appears to suggest the wing was struck from the top (as hafted). The stop is rounded and gradually slopes from the septum (where the axe has a maximum body thickness of 18.0mm). The blade is slender and the sides diverge to form a rounded blade edge (with a width of 40.3mm). The blade faces are slightly convex with no discernible blade facet. The original surface of the axe has been lost and has a current pitted bronze surface. The septum has small patches of black patina surviving.



End-winged axes are associated with the Carp's Tongue complex with a distribution centred around northern France and southern Britain. Burgess's (1968) distribution of the axe type is confined to south-eastern England except for one western outlier in St. Kenidjack, Cornwall. Swansea Museum has a (probable) replica end-winged axe recovered from Sketty, Swansea. A Ewart Park hoard recovered in 2005 from Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan contained one end-winged axe (Gwilt, 2008, p 221, no. 1223) . This discovery appears to represent the third find of this axe type in Wales and the fourth in western Britain and may suggest a possible local clustering around Swansea, possibly indicating a network of exchange and circulation of metalwork around coastal South Wales.
Object: Flat Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2150 to -1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Glemsford, Babergh, Suffolk (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 78.97 mm
Weight: 99.11 g
Description: Early Bronze Age (2150BC-1500BC) cast copper alloy flat axe. It has a damaged and incomplete butt end. Both the upper and lower surfaces are slightly concave, with a slightly raised stop ridge 38.39mm from the butt end. The axe flares out towards the cutting edge, resulting in concave sides and a convex blade. The cutting edge is damaged and worn. In profile the axe is an elongated oval with pointed ends. It has a dark green patina, with some patches of light-green corrosion where the surface has been damaged. It is 78.97mm long, 17.72mm wide, 3.12mm thick at the butt end, 21.23mm wide11.36mm thick at the stop ridge and 35.55mm wide3.23mm thick at the blade. It weighs 99.11 grams.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Spearhead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -900)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Baulking, Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 15.62 mm
Thickness: 4.73 mm
Weight: 4.43 g
Description: 
A small fragment from the blade of a spear of probable Middle Bronze Age date.
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Horne, Tandridge, Surrey (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 34.94 mm
Thickness: 8.94 mm
Weight: 28.78 g
Description: The butt end of a palstave axe of Middle Bronze Age date.  The fragment includes the beginnings of the side flanges.
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-900 to -700)
Found: Heytesbury, Wiltshire, Wiltshire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 22.96 mm
Thickness: 6.21 mm
Weight: 8.2 g
Description: Fragment of Late Bronze Age bronze socketed axehead, consisting of part of the mouth and body below, on both part of a face and part of a side. It measures 22.96x21.93x(max)6.21mm and weighs 8.2g. The mouth (6.21mm thick) has single moulding with a rib below from which extends at least two vertical ribs before the (old) breaks. The lip seems a little more prominent on the face as opposed to the side, with a casting imperfection extending just below. Axes with rib decoration date to the Ewart Park and Llynfawr phases, 900-700 BC.
Object: Blade (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1600 to -1000)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Waterstock, South Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 60.74 mm
Thickness: 9.13 mm
Weight: 37.8 g
Description: A poorly preserved fragment of a weapon blade, possibly a dagger/knife, rapier or dirk probably dating to the Middle Bronze Age (1600-1000 BC). The object has a wide triangular cross section with a raised central midrib while the underside has a slightly curved profile. The object narrows in width and thickness towards the tip of the blade. The object appears to be damaged as it displays two irregular notches, and may have been miscast. The tip and the hilt of the object is missing, making identification difficult.
Object: Rapier (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Stanford Rivers, Epping Forest, Essex (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 23.63 mm
Thickness: 5.15 mm
Weight: 12.66 g
Description: Bronze Age cast copper alloy fragment, probably from a rapier of Middle Bronze age date (1500-1150BC). The fragment is trapezoid in plan, with an elongated lozengeform cross section. There are worn breaks at both ends. It is 23.63mm long, 24.93mm wide, tapering to 20.92mm, is 5.15mm thick and weighs 12.66 grams.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Flat Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2150 to -1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Stockton-on-the-Forest, York, York (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Complete cast copper alloy flat axehead of Early Bronze Age date, 2150–1500 BC. The body has a flanged edge with slightly rounded butt. It flares out towards the cutting edge, resulting in concave sides and a convex blade. In profile the axe is an elongated lozengiform with pointed ends. It has a mottled green patina with the blade showing evidence of wear. Recorded from images supplied by North West MDC. Unfortunately no measurements recorded by club.
Object: Flat Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2150 to -1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Fangfoss, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: A complete cast copper alloy flat axehead of Early to Middle Bronze Age date, 2150-1150 BC. The axehead has a flanged edge and a rounded butt. Its body is of equal width until it flares abruptly outwards to create the wide crescentric cutting edge. The axehead is in good condition, showing fairly minimal pitted corrosion at the blade, edge and butt. Recorded from images supplied by North West MDC. Unfortunately no measurements recorded by club.
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2150 to -800)
Found: Heytesbury, Wiltshire, Wiltshire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 54.9 mm
Thickness: 3.89 mm
Weight: 4.3 g
Description: Bronze Age (2150 - 800 BC) bronze awl, measuring 54.90mm in length and weighing 4.3g. The tang-end is bent upwards slightly.

The centre of the awl, which is the thickest part and rectangular in section, measures 4.59x3.89mm. From the centre to the point the awl narrows and becomes circular in section. In the other direction from the centre, the awl narrows is thickness and a little in width to 2.94x0.61mm. The surface of the awl on this half does seem to have been chiselled away to make it thinner.
Object: Spear (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -800)
Found: Heytesbury, Wiltshire, Wiltshire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 46.49 mm
Thickness: 7.97 mm
Weight: 14.4 g
Description: A fragment of Middle to Late Bronze Age (1500 - 800 BC) bronze socketed spearhead, consisting of the solid tip only. It measures 46.49mm in length and is a lozenge shape in section. It weighs 14.4g. 

The break measures 16.45x7.97mm, the tip 1.85x1.81mm. The edges apper slightly bevelled, but the fragment is worn and has lost much of its original patina.
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Higham, Gravesham, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 78.8 mm
Thickness: 6.2 mm
Weight: 17.8 g
Description: A Bronze age copper alloy Awl dating to 2150-800 BC. The awl is linear with a rectangular cross section. One end of the awl  is flattened to an irregular rectangular cross section, terminating in a straight tip. The other end terminates in a slightly rounded tip, The implement is cast in one piece and is 78.8mm long, 6.7mm wide, 6.2mm thick and weighs 17.8 grams.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Penannular Ring (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1150 to -800)
Material: Gold Silver
Found: Llan-Maes, the Vale of Glamorgan, the Vale of Glamorgan (Wales)
Discovery method: Controlled archaeological investigation
Length: 4.4 mm
Description: 
A small and creased fragment of gold foil. The foil is folded over in half and has jagged tear edges on three sides.

Notes: The gold foil was found sitting immediately on a Bronze Age stone working surface, approximately 5.5 by 4.0 metres in area. Associated within the same soil context as the gold foil (2) were 31 sherds of Middle Bronze Age tradition pottery (1500-1100BC), a rolled-top bronze pin of Middle or Late Bronze Age (1500-800BC) date and an animal bone assemblage. It is possible that the small fragment of gold foil (2) may once have coated a penannular ring (hair-ring). These are a reasonably common class of Bronze Age artefacts, using gold foil for surface decoration. Loose and non-adhered foil is sometimes observed projecting from their terminals. While a number of dated examples belong to the Late Bronze Age (1150-800BC), it is now thought that they started to be manufactured towards the end of the Middle Bronze Age (1300-1150BC) (e.g. TAR 2004, no. 17; Raftery 2004). In the light of the associated pottery, a Middle to Late Bronze Age date (1300-1000BC) has been suggested for this foil.
Object: Armlet (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -1300)
Material: Gold 
Found: Llan-Maes, the Vale of Glamorgan, the Vale of Glamorgan (Wales)
Discovery method: Controlled archaeological investigation
Length: 48.5 mm
Thickness: 0.4 mm
Weight: 2.5 g
Description: A plain and elongate gold strip with near parallel sides. One terminal survives, while the other has been torn around 4-7mm from the end. The surviving terminal is loosely folded over, with an external width of 3.5-5mm. The terminal tapers gradually beyond the fold-over, with a flat but slightly convex shaped end and rounded corners. An offset crease, parallel to the terminal-end is visible 2.2-2.5mm from the edge, the strip terminal also being pinched and thinned beyond the crease. Approximately 4mm from the terminal, a pin-hole approximately 0.8mm in diameter perforates the strip. Denting on the underside or interior of the fold-over indicates the pin was pressed from the current exterior side, though small projecting margin rings of excess gold are visible on both margin surfaces. A scrape next to the perforation was probably made in error with the same fine pin at the time the perforations were made.



The opposite terminal looks to be starting to taper, near the point of the tear. One torn corner has folded over since breakage. This terminal has two perforations, each approximately 0.8mm in diameter. One perforation is approximately 2.2mm from the torn end, while the tear has bisected the second perforation. Denting on one surface indicates the pin was pressed from the same side as the perforation on the other terminal, and projecting margin rings of excess gold are visible on both surface margins. The end 12mm of the strip exhibits prominent sinuous bending at right angles to the long-axis of the strip. At one time, this was probably bent over, similarly to the other terminal.



At the mid-point along the strip is a band, indicating a point at which the strip was once folded around a larger object, itself around 20-25mm wide. This folding point is evidenced on the interior side by a localised change in the surface gold texture and delimited by linear changes of surface contour around 3.5mm apart. On the exterior surface, there is slight evidence for lines of bending of the gold in the same place. The strip edge on one side also looks to be distorted at this point.



The strip looks to have been hammer-shaped, with small surface facets, pressed ridged folds and slight localised variations in the strip-width. Slight surface scratching probably occurred during burial and retrieval.
Notes: Average composition of edge: 93.5% gold, 6% silver, 0.5% copper



Average composition of inner face: 92.5% gold, 7% silver, 0.5% copper
Subsequent action: Acquired by museum after being declared Treasure
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1150 to -750)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Llanhennock, Monmouthshire, Monmouthshire (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 26.3 mm
Weight: 34.6 g
Description: Late Bronze Age bronze socketed axe fragment.



This is a small blade end fragment of a bronze socketed axe, representing perhaps 20% of the original axe. The sides of the axe flare at the blade end and the blade edge is curved. The base of the socket is clearly present. Too little of the axe survives to identify whether it was ribbed or plain and to type. The blade surfaces are worn and weathered, the break edges also being abraded. The axe has a dark brown patination.
Notes: Too little of this socketed axe fragment survives to identify it to precise type, however as a socketed axe, it may be confidently dated to the Late Bronze Age, between 1150-750BC (e.g. Savory 1980; Schmidt & Burgess 1981; Needham 1990; Needham et al 1997; Eogan 2000). The previously reported artefacts in the hoard, a ribbed socketed axe and a casting jet (produced when making a South Wales type socketed axe), were dated to the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age (950-750BC). Therefore, there is a strong likelihood that the blade fragment is contemporary with another two associated artefacts (Treasure case 03.17). The close vicinity of the finds with each other, at similar depth, and their common fragmented and weathered state, add weight to the likelihood that they were once buried together as a closed hoard group, being slightly disturbed by ploughing or forestry during the more recent past. Together, the composition and fragmentation of this hoard group would be entirely consistent with other hoards deposited in south east Wales at this time (Savory 1980; Needham 1981; Gwilt 2004; Gwilt & Lodwick in prep).
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: EPSOM, Epsom and Ewell, Surrey (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 84.54 mm
Thickness: 4.09 mm
Weight: 9.5 g
Description: A possible Bronze Age (or later) awl with a rounded rectangular or square section along the length.  The awl is roughly made and slightly bent with green patina over purple.
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Penllyn, the Vale of Glamorgan, the Vale of Glamorgan (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 30.1 mm
Thickness: 5.5 mm
Weight: 15.7 g
Description: 
Small mouth fragment of a socketed bronze axe, representing one upper face and part of one upper side. The axe has a prominent mouth moulding, the top of which is heavily eroded, removing any trace of runner stubs. Three converging ribs descend from the mouth moulding. The width and contours of the face suggest the axe was slender with a sub-rectangular section with rounded corners. None of the loop or casting seams survives. The fragment has worn edges with light green patches of corrosion. The fragment surfaces have a green patination except between the ribs, where the surface is black.

Notes: This is a ribbed socketed axe belonging to the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age and dating to between 1000 and 800BC (Needham 1996; Needham et al 1997). Though not certainly diagnostic to type, this fragment exhibits features consistent with a South Wales type socketed axe: the prominent mouth moulding, the three face ribs and the sub-rectangular cross-section. South Wales type axes were commonly made and used in south east Wales at this time (McNeil 1973, Fig. 9; Moore 1978; Savory 1980; Needham 1981). Over 30 hoards containing at least 140 examples are known from south east Wales (e.g. Needham 1981; Gwilt 2004), making it the core area within Britain for their burial within hoards. However, they were also made and used across south western and central southern England, with a few examples circulating as far as northern Britain, Ireland and northern France.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder after being disclaimed as Treasure
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1150 to -1000)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Horncastle, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 147.27 mm
Thickness: 25.44 mm
Description: A cast copper-alloy palstave axe of the Bronze Age, of the Wilburton/Wallington phase.

The axe is nearly complete, with only the tip of the butt missing.

The blade gently expands from the stop to the edge, with some flaring of the tips, with a maximum breadth of 37.49mm. The base of the blade has 3 raised ribs. The septum is set deeply, 10.82mm from the top of the stop, with 1 raised rib running 2/3 of its length. The loop is complete and 22.96mm in length.

There are prominent flashmarks on both the upper and lower faces of the palstave.
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Lapley, Stretton and Wheaton Aston, South Staffordshire, Staffordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 23.6 mm
Thickness: 11.2 mm
Weight: 38.7 g
Description: A fragment from a cast copper-alloy socketed Bronze Age axe head. Only the tip of the blade survives, and this tapers from 45.3 mm wide at the tip to 37.3 mm at the break. Part of the socket survives as a sub-rectangular recess in the centre of the blade at the break. Wear and an even patina at the break suggests that this occurred in antiquity. The surface of the axe head is worn and pitted, and has a dark green to black patina. Not enough of the axe survives to allow definitive classification, but the form of the fragment suggests that is from a socketed axe head of the late Bronze Age, from circa 1150-800 BC. The fragment is 45.3 mm wide, 11.2 mm thick, 23.6 mm long and weighs 38.7 grams.
Object: Unidentified Object (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-2150 to -800)
Found: Upavon, Wiltshire, Wiltshire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 17.74 mm
Thickness: 5.64 mm
Weight: 4.3 g
Description: A fragment of possibly Bronze Age bronze object, measuring 17.74x15.87x5.64mm and weighing 4.3g.

In cross-section, the fragment is V-shaped, with either half thickening towards the centre (max.thickness) and thinning again to the outside edges 9respectively 1.99mm and 2.75mm). The surface is a little pitted but has a smooth light green patina.
Object: Spear (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1140 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Rempstone, Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 48 mm
Thickness: 9 mm
Weight: 13.32 g
Description: Late Bronze Age copper alloy stepped spearhead fragment, 48mm long, 16mm wide, 9mm thick and weighs 13.32g. The object consists of the tip of a spearhead which is intricately cast. It has a central conical section which is flanked by a straight sided stepped blade with two clear platforms which all taper together to form a rounded point. The spear is very worn and is broken.
Object: Spear (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Tanworth-in-Arden, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 35.95 mm
Thickness: 8.18 mm
Weight: 5.4 g
Description: A fragment of a cast copper alloy socketed spearhead. The fragment is an elongated triangular socket with traces of a blade either side. The edges of the blade are heavily abraded. The tip and lower edges are both broken, these breaks are not too recent. The lower break has a circular sectioned socket. The surface of the spearhead is pitted and has an incomplete heavy dark grey patina. The spear measures 35.95mm long, 11.09mm wide and 8.18mm thick. It weighs 5.4g. The heavy patina, and shape in section suggest this is a Bronze Age spearhead. However, as the majority of the object is missing, which has the diagnostic features such as side-loops missing the dating cannot be narrowed down further.
Object: Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1700 to -1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Barton-under-Needwood, East Staffordshire, Staffordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 111.1 mm
Thickness: 16.8 mm
Weight: 20.8 g
Description: A cast copper-alloy 'Arreton' tradition low-flanged axehead. The body of the axehead is narrow at 21.43 mm wide, expanding to form a broad crescentic blade, 60.98 mm wide. The flange is around 15.2 mm wide. The axehead itself measures 111.10 mm in length and is 16.8 mm thick. Both faces have two visible but faint transverse bevel lines, one at the junction of the blade and body, and one central line across the body between the flanges. The sides also have slight facets running longitudinally and dividing the flat central area from bevels which run to the top of the flanges. The axehead has a green to brown patina in the centre, turning to a dark green along the edges. There are also green pocks of invasive corrosion on the tip of the blade, the butt, the tops of the ridges and down one side. The axehead dates to the end of the early Bronze Age, probably from around 1700 - 1500 BC.
Object: Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Gnosall, Stafford, Staffordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 36.41 mm
Thickness: 10.25 mm
Weight: 21.6 g
Description: A copper-alloy fragment of what was once possibly a Bronxe Age axehead or spearhead. If this identification is correct, only part of the tip of the blade remains. The fragment tapers at quite an acute angle from 9.99 mm to 1.2 mm thick. The acute angle would seem a little strange for an axehead so this raises some doubt about this identification. An alternative possibility is that it is part of the side of a spearhead. Aside from damage where the object has broken, the blade is also worn and is jagged through corrosion. At one end the object appears to have been cast with a slight groove, and an then has an angle of 135 degrees before the blade begins. The blade then curves around gradually to the break. As the object is so fragmentary it is hard to distinguish how these features related to its function, but it is possible that they represent the base of a spearhead, and the tang is missing although this is very tentative.  There is no evidence for it having had a socket. The object measures 36.41 mm in length and 27.14 mm wide. It is 10.25 mm thick and weighs 21.6 grams. It has a pale green patina.
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1150 to -800)
Found: Sutton Benger, Wiltshire, Wiltshire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 44.52 mm
Thickness: 15.78 mm
Weight: 14.27 g
Description: Fragment of Late Bronze Age (1150 – 800 BC) bronze Socketed Axehead, consisting of part of the mouth with loop extending below and the body between. It measures 44.52x16.12x15.78mm and weighs 14.27g. The fragment is rather twisted in appearance, possibly as the result of intense heat.

The mouth (6.25mm thick) has a prominent moulding from which the top of the loop extends. The inside edge of the loop seems to extend into another moulding below. However as so little of the body survives at this point it is difficult to be certain.

The casting flash on both inside and outside edges of the loop has not been finished. The metal is also rather pitted and a rich brown in colour with orange ?iron resiude.
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Shadoxhurst, Ashford, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 54.44 mm
Thickness: 23.13 mm
Weight: 53.3 g
Description: A very worn lower body of a cast copper alloy socketed looped axe dating from the Late Bronze Age, that is c. 11th-9th century BC. Most of the socket moulding and the blade is missing; the surface is heavily abraded and patinated. It looks like it was of South Eastern ribbed type, part of the Late Bronze Age Wilburton or, more likely, Ewart Park metalwork assemblage, 10th C BC. A better identification is impossible due to the condition of the axe,
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Buckland Newton, West Dorset, Dorset (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 35.83 mm
Thickness: 5.57 mm
Weight: 12.86 g
Description: A small fragment of cast copper alloy socketed axe. Part of the mouth of the socketed butt of the axe only. One corner of the rectangular or square mouth only remains. The mouth has a raised lip around the outside and there a traces of three cast  longitudinal lines on the outer surface of the socket.
Date: Late Bronze Age - c. 1150 to 800 BC
Dimensions: 35.83 mm x 22.11 mm x 5.57 mm
Weight: 12.86 g
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Hatfield Heath, Uttlesford, Essex (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 32.85 mm
Weight: 25.39 g
Description: Incomplete late Bronze Age (1150-800BC) cast copper alloy socketed axe. Only the blade end and a short part of the body revealing the socket end survives. The breaks are extremely worn. The curved cutting  edge is worn, being almost flat in places. The socket end is rectangular, measuring 16.33mm wide, 3.30mm thick. The surviving section is trapezoid in plan and triangular in profile. Casting seams are visible on the edges. The  surviving section is 32.85mm long, 25.50mm wide increasing to 29.59mm wide across the blade, 8.25mm thick and  weighs 25.39 grams.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Casting Waste (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2100 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Hunningham, Warwick, Warwickshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 33.58 mm
Thickness: 28.7 mm
Weight: 52.1 g
Description: A copper-alloy casting jet, waste associated with bronze casting. The object is a waste fragment from the top of the mould, where the alloy was poured into the mould. It is oval in shape, with two projecting lugs, where the molten metal ran down into the rest of the mould. It measures 33.58 mm long, 24.75 mm wide and is 28.87 mm long. It weighs 51.1 grams. As such casting jets are associated with the manufacture of many cast objects over a very long period of time they can be difficult to date, but given the shape and patina this example has been given a probable Bronze Age date (2150 - 800 BC).
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Revesby, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 49.92 mm
Thickness: 9.79 mm
Weight: 26.4 g
Description: A cast copper alloy axe blade of Bronze Age date.

Only the blade edge remains, crescentic in shape with flaring tips. The axe was hollow.
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Matching, Epping Forest, Essex (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 26.98 mm
Thickness: 15.75 mm
Weight: 45.99 g
Description: Middle Bronze Age (1500-1150BC) cast copper alloy palstave fragment. Part of the central body survives with a flange to either side; the fragment is rectangular in plan with an 'H' shaped cross section. It is 26.98mm long, 28.84mm wide, 15.75mm thick and weighs 45.99 grams. There are worn breaks at both ends.
Object: Spear (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1450 to -900)
Found: Kimpton, Test Valley, Hampshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 83.5 mm
Thickness: 10.62 mm
Weight: 36.05 g
Description: An incomplete Middle to Late Bronze Age (1450 - 900 BC) bronze socketed spearhead, missing its socket end and its tip. The edges are very damaged, some ancient and some recent (plough). It measures 83.50mm in length and weighs 36.05g.

The spearhead is max.20.73x10.62mm and min.13.42x7.08mm at either end. In cross-section, the central rib is diamond-shaped with the c.2mm thick blade extending from opposing points. At both breaks, the central rib is solid, suggesting the spearhead would have originally been quite long. It is uncertain if any part of the edge is original (ie.not damaged) which in turn makes it harder to date and attribute to a type.

The spearhead is coated in ?varnish.
Object: Blade (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1400 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Tarrant Hinton, North Dorset, Dorset (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 42.81 mm
Thickness: 2.06 mm
Weight: 3.98 g
Description: An incomplete copper alloy blade. A possible knife blade or razor. A short section of blade with a flat cross section at the top and a slightly lentoid section at the break. The edges are beveled. There is a deliberately flattened area on one edge and there is a notch in the edge below in. The edges are damaged and abraded.
 Peter Reavill suggests that it is likely to be from a sword or dirk blade, and that the deliberate straight edge to one face means it is possibly the  trapezoidal hilt of a Middle Bronze Age dirk (c. 1400 - 1000 BC.
Date: Middle to Late Bronze Age - c. 1400-800 BC 
Dimensions: 42.81 mm x 22.40 mm x 2.06 mm
Weight: 6.98 g
Object: Sword (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1120 to -950)
Material: Copper alloy 
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 54.4 mm
Weight: 77.5 g
Description: Late Bronze Age bronze sword fragment from a sword of Wilburton Type (Burgess & Colquhoun, 1988, p 40) and of the corresponding Wilburton metalworking industry, equivalent to Needham's (1996) Period 6 dated to between 1150 and 950BC.



The sword fragment is represented by the base of the hilt and the very top of the blade (with a surviving length of 54.4mm and a weight of 77.5g). The hilt has broken across a rivet hole or the base of a slot, which has an hourglass perforation (of 2.9mm to 6mm diameter). The handle area has straight parallel sides for the short section surviving (with a width of 22.9mm and a thickness of 7.2mm). The divergent shoulders are straight and narrow towards the ricasso (to produce a shoulder width of 55.5mm). The ricasso is comparatively sharply curved and was likely to have been short, although the blade edge is not present on the fragment. The handle area and shoulders have slight flanges (with a thickness around the handle of 6.9mm and 3.7mm at the end of the shoulders). The shoulders have rivet slots (18 and 20mm long and 4.5mm wide). The top of the blade is of lenticular section (with a width of 36.0mm and a maximum thickness of 8.6mm). The top of the blade appears to have been broken by bending, which would have involved considerable force. The break at the hilt does not appear to have involved bending. The sword has a dark green to brown surface patina.
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-950 to -750)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Llanfair, ,  ()
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 41.3 mm
Weight: 42.7 g
Description: Late Bronze Age bronze socketed axe of uncertain type and probably of Ewart Park metalworking tradition corresponding to Needham's (1996) Period 7, dated to c. 950 - 750BC



The socketed axe is fragmentary, represented by only a blade side fragment (with a surviving length of 41.3mm, a surviving width of 26.2mm and a weight of 42.7g). The base of the socket is present at the top of the fragment (where the axe has a surviving thickness of 13.4mm, the axe faces have a thickness of 5mm and the socket has a maximum width of 3.8mm and a surviving depth of 9.6mm). The axe side appears to flare outwards towards the mouth, although corrosion may have eroded the shape. The surviving side was likely to have been convex across its width or have had a hexagonal body profile. The faces of the fragment are straight and converge to the blade. The blade edge has been lost. The axe has a significant crack across one face and the side, which is likely to have occurred in antiquity. The broken side of the axe is patinated, suggesting that the axe was broken in antiquity. Areas of brown surface patina survive, elsewhere the fragment is pale green with a powdery surface.



Socketed axes occur in the Wilburton phase of the Late Bronze Age and continue to Llyn Fawr phase, however most recovered axes date to Ewart Park industry and the comparatively heavy weight suggests a high lead bronze alloy, which is a feature common in Ewart Park axes.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1150 to -800)
Found: Hampstead Norreys, West Berkshire, West Berkshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 37.16 mm
Thickness: 14.97 mm
Weight: 75.8 g
Description: A fragment of a Late Bronze Age (1150 - 800BC) socketed axe. The remaining fragment consists the crescent shaped tip of the cutting edge - it is triangular in section with a hollow rectangular socket.

The axe fragment retains only 37.16mm of its original length; the blade is 48.71mm wide (max) and it has a maximum thickness of 14.97mm. It weighs 75.8gms.
Object: Metal Working Debris (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Nutfield, Tandridge, Surrey (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Two fragments of a plano-convex bun ingot, probably of Late Bronze Age date.  Both pieces include a portion of the edge. They weigh 223g and 57g.






One fragment weighing 33g.






One roughly hemispherical fragment, probably a casting well, weighing 62g.
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1600 to -1200)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Sykehouse, Doncaster, Doncaster (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 57.9 mm
Thickness: 10.07 mm
Weight: 46.7 g
Description: Part of a very worn and corroded Middle Bronze Age palstave dating from 1600 BC – 1200BC. The middle part of the palstave survives, but is extremely worn. The stop ridge and flanges are just discernible. The haft tapers to away prematurely, and the blade end is thick and rounded. Clearly, all the extremities have corroded away, but even so, it was probably always quite a small example. The patina is orange brown and pitted, with some areas of bright green. It is 57.9mm long, 20.73mm wide and 10.07mm thick. It weighs 46.7g.
Notes: For more information about this site see the attached record: SWYOR-A9F048
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Chisel (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Found: , , Oxfordshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 51.74 mm
Diameter: 15.42 mm
Weight: 17.8 g
Description: A cast bronze socketed chisel or gouge, dating to the Late Bronze Age (c. 1000-800BC). The chisel has a hollow body which has been cast in two pieces, with the cast lines still visible down either edge. The chisel has a thin flanged blade and a sub-circular socket that extends only 7.74mm down into the body - suggesting that this object has been reworked from a longer gouge. The chisel is in very good condition and has a nice even olive green patina.

The chisel is 51.74mm long with the blade measuring 21.92mm wide. The socket is 15.42mm in diameter and the object weighs 17.8gms.
Notes: It has been suggested that these small tools may have been used in leather working (Evans 1881).
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1400 to -1200)
Found: Northmoor, West Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 120.85 mm
Thickness: 19.88 mm
Weight: 158.9 g
Description: A cast bronze palstave chisel with crescentic blade and a sunken shield-shaped hollow beneath the stop-ridge, visible on both faces. Casting lines are visible along both edges. The palstave measures 120.85mm long, and has a maximum thickness of 19.88mm. The blade is 33.87mm wide and the object weighs 158.9gms. There is some damage to the butt of the object.



This type of palstave, with the shield-shaped hollow beneath the stop-ridge, is characteristic of the Acton Park phase, dating from c. 1400 - 1200 BC. This appears to be the first palstave of this type from Oxfordshire to be recorded on the PAS database. Identical examples are illustrated by Rowlands (1976: plate 34, nos. 1099, 1097, 1129) described as chisels dating to the Middle Bronze Age.
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1300 to -750)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Llanrhidian Lower, Swansea, Swansea (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 50.9 mm
Thickness: 16.1 mm
Weight: 102.1 g
Description: Middle to Late Bronze Age axe fragment, probably from a palstave and possibly dating from c.1300 - 750BC The palstave is represented by a blade fragment, broken before the stop and missing the blade edge (with a surviving length of 50.9mm and a weight of 102.1g). The palstave body is near sub-rectangular at the break (with a width of 25.2mm and a thickness of 16.1mm); the blade faces are convex across their widths and the sides are slightly divergent to the mid points. The casting seam is discernable on the sides. The sides expand slightly towards the blade although any blade tips have been lost (producing a surviving blade width of 34.4mm). The blade faces are flat or very slightly convex across their lengths and no decoration is evident of the fragment. The original surface of the palstave, comprising a dark green to brown patina, has largely been lost and the current surface is pale green with areas of active corrosion. The fragmentary nature of the axe makes typological identification difficult. The slender blade may suggest a palstave of Transitional or Late types. The high lead content of the bronze may reinforce a later date within the palstave range. Transitional and Late palstaves span Penard, Wilburton and Ewart Park metalworking phases, corresponding to the later part of Needham's (1996) Period 5 through to Period 7. It is therefore possible to suggest a date of c. 1300 - 750BC.
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2500 to -750)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Llanrhidian Higher, Swansea, Swansea (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 15.9 mm
Thickness: 7.8 mm
Weight: 16.8 g
Description: Probable Bronze Age fragment, possibly from an axe The bronze object is fragmented and with all edges rounded, possibly through water-rolling (with a length of 15.9mm, a width of 34.8mm, a thickness of 7.8mm and a weight 16.8g). The condition of the object makes any identification speculative. The fragment is of sub-triangular section, resembling the blade of an axe. The sides are not present and the faces are flat. The blade edge has been lost and there no surviving evidence for a socket base. The fragment has a dark green surface patina. The general shape of the bronze may suggest a Bronze Age axe blade fragment. The metallurgical composition is consistent with a Bronze Age date.
Object: Axe (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1900 to -1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Penllyn, the Vale of Glamorgan, the Vale of Glamorgan (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 59.2 mm
Weight: 64.7 g
Description: Early to Middle Bronze Age bronze axe, probably either a Developed Flat axe or of Later Short-flanged type and of second millennia BC date.



The axe is incomplete missing the butt (with a surviving length of 59.2mm and a weight of 64.7g). The axe is of sub rectangular section and is comparatively slender and stout (with a width at the break of 18.0mm and a thickness of 8.8mm). The axe fragment reaches its thickest point (at 9.4mm), 36mm from the blade edge. The sides of the axe are straight and near parallel for the length of the blade. The casting seams are not discernible on the sides of the axes. The blade faces are plain and slightly convex, both across their lengths and widths. There are no flanges on the surviving blade faces. The blade width expands sharply at the position where the blade facet begins (13mm from the blade edge). The blade edge is now comparatively straight, turning at the edges and has lost the blade tips (with a surviving blade width of 28.1mm). The blade edge appears to have been blunted through impact. There is the suggestion of sharpening striations running perpendicular to the blade edge but these have been obscured by a varnish coating of the axe. One face of the axe has probable stress fractures near the break and also has two impact marks (both 6.6mm long and 1.5mm wide), presumably from a bladed tool, perhaps another axe. The other face has a casting flaw near the break. The axe has a pale to dark green surface patina and has a recent gloss coating.



The missing butt makes identification and typological dating difficult. It is unclear to what degree of finishing the axe has undergone and whether the blade and flanges were yet to be worked. The 'blocky' nature of the axe would appear to either suggest a Developed flat axe of Metalworking Assemblage IV - V or a Later Short-flanged type of Taunton - Penard metalworking. Its form can be paralleled with some Class 4 developed flat axes (following Needham forthcoming) which can be dated to Needham's (1996) Period 3 dated to c. 1950-1700BC. Alternatively, Later Short-flanged axes fall within Period 5, dated to c.1500-1150BC. The apparent non introduction of lead into the bronze alloy may suggest an earlier technology and lend weight to an identification of a developed flat axe.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Barbed And Tanged Arrowhead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2150 to -1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: , , Northamptonshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 43 mm
Thickness: 2 mm
Weight: 7.72 g
Description: An apparently complete cast copper alloy barbed and tanged arrowhead, of Early Bronze Age date (2150 - 1500 BC).






The arrow has a deep brown patina typical of bronze artefacts of this date.  It was manufactured using a relatively simple casting technique. It is very worn and chipped around the edges. However, a raised midrib and bevelled edges are apparent. The body of the blades are slightly concave. The tang is sub-rectangular , tapering slightly towards the end, which could be a break rather than a deliberate end. It has relatively crude notches between the tang and barbs. The chipping and wearing on the edges and body indicate use wear rather than post-depositional damage, and so suggest a long period of use for this object. The style of the arrowhead copies flint barbed and tanged arrowheads of the period. Copper alloy arrowheads of this style and dates are rare in Britain. Other examples recorded on the PAS database can be found at SF-4014B0, WMID-CE6A76 and SF6680. All other examples are stray detector finds and consequently the accurate dating of the objects is problematic. However, Dr. Colin Pendleton (SCCAS) notes that there is no reason to doubt that these are contemporary with Early Bronze Age flint examples of similar form.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder