Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Aythorpe Roding, Uttlesford, Essex (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Catalogue:






	

		

			

			
SF No.

			

			

			
Description

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0001

			

			

			
Cu-alloy socketed mortising chisel (lower section only). 28.97g. 64mm. Cf Davey 1973 no. 416. and Cheetham 1977 Pl. 6 no. 17. 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0002

			

			

			
Cu-alloy socketed axehead (looped rim section only). Loop is sealed by casting flash still in situ. 8.83g. 38mm 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0003

			

			

			
Cu-alloy ingot section. 290g.* 70mm. 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0004

			

			

			
Cu-alloy ingot section. 55.39g. 34mm. 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0005

			

			

			
Cu-alloy ingot section. 50.94g. 29mm. 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0006

			

			

			
Cu-alloy ingot section. 47.43g. 29mm. 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0007

			

			

			
Cu-alloy ingot section. 25.57g. 34mm. 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0008

			

			

			
Cu-alloy ingot section. 25.87g. 26mm. 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0009

			

			

			
Cu-alloy ingot section. 35.15g. 37mm. 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0010

			

			

			
Cu-alloy ingot section. 45.41g. 32mm. 24.09.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0011

			

			

			
Cu-alloy fragment. Possibly from artefact. 9.16g 32mm. 04.10.03

			

			

			
			

		

		

			

			
BAG1-0012

			

			

			
Cu-alloy casting waste. Association with group not certain. 21.47g. 37mm. 04.10.03

			

			

			
			

		

	









*( To nearest 5g.)
Notes: Background to Discovery. 





In 1947 a local farmworker found a looped and socketed axehead whilst engaged in agricultural work. The location is approximately 2 kilometres SW of another the LBA hoard found in the 1990s. 



     The find was reported to a local historian, who recorded the axehead. Subsequently this gentleman facilitated the donation of the axehead to Colchester Museum, which acquired it in 1961, accession no. 280.61. The museum has since lost the find.



     At some time in the 1990s, the historian directed a local metal detectorist, to the location and with the consent of the landowner a metal detector search was made of the area. A further complete axehead together with several fragmentary ones and a number of ingot pieces were consequently recovered. Subsequently the detectorist died, and no further searching of the field was carried out. It is however believed that treasure hunters also accessed this field, and thus it is probable that diagnostic metalwork has been removed without record.



     Of the pieces that do survive, and which are detailed in the following catalogue, it is clear that the find represents another of the now ubiquitous Ewart Park Phase scrap hoards. It should be noted that the material as shown to the writer was loose in a box with other metal detector finds, and with nothing to indicate the original association of any of the finds. All that were clearly or apparently of LBA date were outsorted, but it follows that the items illustrated are only presumed to be associated and a part of the same deposit. 





LBA Hoard Catalogue, Earlier Finds





001. Axehead, socketed with loop. 140g.* 111x48x32. Plain mouth, slight chamfer to edge with vestige of casting flash on top of rim. Slight horizontal moulding coinciding with loop top. Upper body of slightly rounded octagonal section. The blade is asymmetrical, with one tip being some 5mm higher than the other. The middle section of the blade is blunted, possibly in antiquity. Both casting seams are evident, and are amplified by the mould halves having been slightly offset. Cf Schmidt & Burgess 1981 ‘Meldreth’ type.



002. Axehead, socketed with loop (upper section only). 104.61g. 50x42x36. Mouth with rounded moulding, two narrow horizontal mouldings below coinciding with the loop top. Two indents are evident in the inner rim at 12 and 3 o’clock, and possibly corresponding characteristics at 6 and 9. Both casting seams evident. The axehead has been broken by repeated blows to the mid-body section on both sides, using an implement that has produced round impact pits of 3-4mm width.



003. Axehead, socketed (upper body fragment). Probably looped. 46.61g. 70x44x9. Mouth with narrow rounded moulding, two narrow horizontal mouldings below. Two moulded opposed crescents below. Horizontal moulded cross rib on internal face 62mm below top. The axehead has been subjected to heavy crushing impacts to the rim resulting in cracking and flattening.



004. Axehead, socketed (upper body fragment). Probably looped. 23.01g. 68x24x13. Mouth with rounded moulding, rounded horizontal moulding below. Narrow casting seam amplified by slight offset of moulds.



005. Uncertain object (fragment). 16.38g. 27x25x17. Square section with hole in one face, probably a casting flaw. Patination consistent with other items in the group, so presumed to be associated.



006. Ingot (fragment). 245g.* 58x38x28. From a plano-convex ingot.



007. Ingot (fragment). 210g.* 52x38x24. Probably from a plano-convex ingot. One surface is heavily pitted, deriving presumably from an aspect of the casting process.



008. Ingot (fragment). 55.01g. 33x22x22. Possibly from a plano-convex ingot.



009. Ingot (fragment). 28.29g. 32x25x11. Rim section of a small plano-convex ingot.



010. Ingot (fragment). 22.74g. 27x25x14. Rim section of a plano-convex ingot.





*To nearest 5g.
Subsequent action: Donated to museum after being declared Treasure