Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1600 to -801)
Material: Copper alloy 
Discovery method: Metal detector
Weight: 116.9 g
Description: Description: Dispersed hoard of six copper alloy objects consisting of; 




	
Socketed spearhead. Bevelled, leaf-shaped blade, missing the tip and most of the cutting edge. The circular socket terminates in a jagged break which is not fresh, but is comparatively recent. It exhibits prominent casting seams down each long edge. Length: 97mm. Diameter of socket 14.2mm. Maximum extant width of blade: 17.1mm. Extant length of blade 74mm. Weight 35.3g.  

	
Fragment of socketed spearhead comprising part of the cylindrical socket. It exhibits the stubs of the cast side loops on either side, on the same line as the longitudinal casting ribs. The socket terminates in worn breaks at either end. Heavily pitted. Length: 29.7mm. It expands in diameter from 7.6mm to 12.2mm. Weight: 6.2g. 

	
 Tanged dagger or knife cut down from a dirk or rapier. Rectangular blade with a low central midrib and lozengiform cross-section. The butt end is rounded and has an off-centre rivet hole. The blade has a bend approximately halfway along its length, giving the blade a slightly S-shaped profile. This is likely to be post-depositional damage rather than deliberate. The blade terminates in a relatively fresh transverse break. Extant length: 90mm. Maximum width: 15.7mm. Thickness: 1.8mm. Weight: 15.1g. 

	
Ring. Undecorated, with a slight circumferential edge running around the outside. The inner edge exhibits a notch 14.1mm wide on one side, from wear. The surface is pitted and flaked in patches. External diameter: 34.2mm. Internal diameter: 21.4mm. Thickness: 5.8mm. Weight: 16.2g. 

	
Casting waste. Fragment of a casting sprue. Trapezoidal in shape and roughly oval in cross-section. Length: 19.8mm. Maximum width: 29.4mm. Minimum width: 14.1mm. Maximum thickness: 20.5mm. Minimum thickness: 3.9mm. Weight: 33.1g. 

	
Unidentified object. C-shaped fragment with relatively recent break at one end and worn break at the other. It expands in thickness from one end to the other and exhibits a prominent recessed channel running down the centre. Near the thickened end is a projecting stub terminating in an old break. Length: 27.5mm. Maximum width: 11.6mm. Minimum width: 5.9mm. Maximum thickness: 7.2mm. Minimum thickness: 2.9mm. Weight: 11.2g. 





Discussion: Although the group was scattered over a wide area across a single field (see grid references), Neil Wilkin (Curator, Bronze Age Europe, pers. comms.) stated that the group appeared to consist of contemporary objects and should therefore be considered as a potential hoard. Nos. 1 – 3 can all be assigned a Middle to Late Bronze Age date. 



No. 3 is paralleled by a number of similar finds on the PAS database, particularly BERK-80BA1E. This record notes a comment from Dot Boughton that Burgess and Gerloff (1981) include a blade of similar shape and size in their Group II (Damaged Blades Modified for Rehafting), p. 36, Plate 32, no 248, described as "Tanged blade, either a knife made in this form or possibly a dirk with butt cut down for rehafting, in which case the torn rivet hole would have been secondary…." 



No. 4 is also likely to be contemporaneous. Similar rings have been discovered in a number of Bronze Age hoards and have been suggested as horse harness fittings; as being part of the handles of a sheet-metal cauldron, of Class A1 (Type Tul-na-cross) and Class B1 (Types Llyn Fawr, Ballyshannon and Castlederg) (Gerloff 2010, Pl. 17, 7b; Pl.32, 14a; Pl. 33, 14f-h; Pl. 34, 15d, Pl. 54, 33c and Pl. 66, 37g); or part of a chain from which a cauldron or other vessel was suspended over a fire.



It is likely that the objects form a single find of Late Bronze Age date.
Notes: It is likely that the objects form a single find of Late Bronze Age date, which qualifies the group as treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996 (Designation Order 2002).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder after being disclaimed as Treasure