Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Upton, Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Late Bronze Age hoard comprising of 3 cast copper-alloy socketed axe-heads, a 2-part cast copper-alloy axe casting mould, 6 pieces of bronze metal working casting debris and 2 associated but later (Medieval-Post Medieval) copper alloy fragments.

Axe 1: South eastern type Class A2 (Ewart Park Phase c.1000-800BC).  The shape of the mouth is a rounded square.  It has a double mouth mouldings with a single side loop extending from the lower less pronounced moulding.  The body is parallel sided with slight flaring towards the cutting edge.  The casting seams are clearly evident down both sides of the axe and the cutting edge is fresh and undamaged. The axe has a single slightly pronounced rounded pellet in the centre of each face just below the lower mouth moulding, apart from this the axe is plain.

The axe measures 109.67mm in length, the blade is 45.24mm wide.  The external diameter of the mouth (from side to side) is 40.09mm & the internal diamter is 27.60mm, the external diameter of the mouth (front to back) is 43.14mm & the internal diameter 31.20mm.  The length of the side loop is 23.65mm and it is 9.72mm thick.  The axe weighs 287.45g.

Axe 2: The description is exactly the same as above.

The axe measures 110.37mm in length, the blade is 45.47mm wide.  The external diameter of the mouth (from side to side) is 40.19mm & the internal diamter is 28.83mm, the external diameter of the mouth (front to back) is 41.72mm & the internal diameter 30.04mm.  The length of the side loop is 24.42mm and it is 10.10mm thick.  The axe weighs 275.21g.

Axe 3: The description is exactly the same as above.

The axe measures 109.16mm in length, the blade is 44.93mm wide.  The external diameter of the mouth (from side to side) is 39.70mm & the internal diamter is 28.89mm, the external diameter of the mouth (front to back) is 42.36mm & the internal diameter 30.47mm.  The length of the side loop is 24.77 and it is 10.15mm thick.  The axe weighs 289.67g.

The 2-Part Axe Casting Mould: The mould completely matches the form, size & shape of the above 3 axes and it is therefore fair to say that this mould was used for the casting of these items.

The mould has a 'tongue & groove' design around the main axe impression allowing the two pieces to be closely slotted together during casting.  There is a slight negative surface flaw evident on the internal face of one of the moulds (along the lower blade portion) but this is not seen on the 3 axes and was presumably filed or polished during post-casting axe preparation.  The remains of a failed casting can be seen in the upper portion of one half of the  mould and this is now a pale white-yellow in colour.  The exterior of one half of the mould is decorated with two long irregular linear ridges and one shorter ridge between.  Below this shorter central ridge is a small raised rounded pellet and below this a small depression.  The other half of the mould purely has a smaller central rounded pellet for decoration.  Projecting from the lower perimeter edge of one half is a slight semi-circular flange.

The mould and axes have a rich mid brown patina with some superficial surface pitting/porosity and slight surface scratches probably acquired in recent years.

The Mould with remnant casting measures 151.04mm long and is 63.92mm at its widest point.  It was not possible to weight the item (in excess of 300g)

The second mould piece measures 152.60mm in length and 64.76mm at its widest point.  It was not possible to weight the item (in excess of 300g)


Bronze Metalwork Casting Debris:  There are 6 pieces of copper-alloy casting debris that were found in close association with the hoard.  The debris has bright green corrosion but is brown-orange in colour overall.  It is dense and heavy in relation to its size and has the typical 'bubbled' appearance of casting waste.  The waste measures: 118g, 225g, 86g, 133g, 266g & 255g.

Two additional pieces of copper-alloy metalwork were also presented with the hoard but due to their form and correlation have been deemed Medieval to Post-Medieval in date with the larger of the two being a probably leg for a Medieval cooking pot c.1500s whilst the smaller item is unidentifiable in its current condition.
Notes: This hoard was reported in retrospect as discovered during the later 1980s and is therefore not subject to the Treasure Act of 1996 under which such a hoard would now be classified as Treasure.

This Hoard was recorded at the request of Oxfordshire Museums Service after it was seen for sale (with local provenance) at an Oxon Antiques Shop near Chipping Norton.  All photographic images, weights & measurements were recorded by the FLO at the shop.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder