dejp3/bronze-age-objects-pas huggingface dataset:
Object: Miniature Object (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2150 to -1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Cammeringham, West Lindsey, Lincolnshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 46.31 mm
Thickness: 2.88 mm
Weight: 5.75 g
Description: A complete copper-alloy miniature flat axehead of early Bronze Age date, c.2150 - 1500 BC. 



The axehead is sub-trapezoidal with a curved blade tapering to a rounded cutting edge. The axe has a narrow, thinning butt with moderately concave sides. It is undecorated. The metal has a dark green/brown patina and is worn.



The axehead is 46.31 mm long, 14.15 mm wide tapering to 6.40 mm wide, 2.88 mm thick and weighs 5.75g.



This object is too small to have functioned as an axe and current archaeological thinking suggests they played a role in votive/ritual practices or functioned as amulets. Despite the obvious lack of contemporaneity, those modelled on later Bronze Age axe types, socketed and looped, have been found in secure Iron Age and Roman contexts.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Chisel (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1150 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Taverham, Broadland, Norfolk (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 36.2 mm
Thickness: 6 mm
Weight: 9.69 g
Description: An incomplete copper alloy tanged chisel dating to the late Bronze Age (c. 1150 - 800 BC). The chisel has a tang with a rectangular cross section most of which has been lost from an old break at a transverse collar with the blade. This collar is 11.5mm wide and sub rectangular in cross-section. The blade itself is triangular in shape, expanding from a narrow neck, 10.6mm wide and flaring outwards to become 24mm wide at the curved cutting edge. The blade tapers in thickness to the cutting edge.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Spear (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1550 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Bressingham, South Norfolk, Norfolk (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 35 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Weight: 9.79 g
Description: Copper alloy tip of a Bronze Age spearhead. Approximately 35mm of the triangular-shaped tip survives extending back to the extremity of the internal socket, as the central depression from this is extant in the transverse fracture face. In section the much eroded narrow blade wings flank a pronounced circular midrib. The surface of the spear tip has a dark brown to green patina, heavily pock-marked by corrosion pits. Where the patina survives it is marked by parallel longitudinal surface striations, which given their regular nature are most likely from the original finishing process. The fragment is too fragmentary to classify but is probably mid to late Bronze Age circa 1550-800 BC.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1100 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Westerleigh, South Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 34 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight: 81 g
Description: A fragment of a Late Bronze Age socketed axe that consists of the blade and the base of the socket. The break is ancient and irregular. The blade has a very low curved forward edge which is heavily corroded. Behind the blade the surface of the axe is in excellent condition on one side only, this still retains its original surface which has a dark green patina.  The opposite side is heavily corroded resulting is a light green pitted and powdery surface, the sides of the axe are similarly corroded.  The socket at the rear is oval 33mm long by 7mm wide and 13mm deep.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Chichester, Chichester, West Sussex (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 30 mm
Thickness: 10.6 mm
Weight: 45.9 g
Description: A cast copper alloy fragment of a Bronze Age axe of socketed type measuring 30.0mm by 38.6mm. The fragment comprises the blade tip which flares out into a curved cutting edge. The axehead has a hollow centre and most of the original surface has been lost. Circa late Bronze Age (c. 1000 BC to 800 BC).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Bracelet (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1400 to -1275)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Harting, Chichester, West Sussex (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Diameter: 92.1 mm
Thickness: 15.3 mm
Weight: 425 g
Description: A complete decorated copper-alloy annular bracelet / arm-ring of Liss-type,  92.1mm in diameter, which has a flattened circular cross section, 18.7mm wide by 15.3mm thick. The ring has an internal diameter of 60.5mm. The exterior surface is decorated with incised or engraved panels with complex geometric decoration. Half of the hoop is decorated with a long panel of incised basket weave style pattern comprising oblique groups of nine lines interleaved alternately. This pattern terminates on one end with a panel of transverse lines and at the other end with a panel of diamond shapes. These each meet a panel of seven parallel strips of herringbone pattern running in line with the circumference which in turn bound a central panel comprised of two bands of nine parallel transverse lines either side of a narrow band of short parallel lines. This appears to be a focal point for the decorative scheme, perhaps suggesting an orientation to the bracelet in terms of its intended presentation.The decorative panels are bound on either side by a flattened internal margin of herringbone pattern running around the inner edge on both sides. 



The surface of the object has suffered extensive damage due to post depositional corrosion and was found firmly embedded into clay.
Notes: Incised (Liss-type) bracelets in copper alloy are not common finds. They are known from the Taunton phase (1,400 -1,200 BC) of the Bronze Age onwards, mainly from Southern Britain. These bracelets concentrate in the southern counties of Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset and West Sussex and examples are also known from Suffolk and Norfolk. Incised decorated bracelets form part of a North European tradition, which has led to the suggestion that the examples from southern England may be imported from northern France, although this theory has been questioned (O'Connor 1980).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Shere, Guildford, Surrey (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: A Bronze Age metalworker’s hoard comprising four objects. These were found very close together, in three discrete locations across a linear distance of 1.6m, with findspots 50cm and 110cm apart respectively.

The objects comprise:





1)    An incomplete socketed axehead with a single side loop. The tip is missing from what appears to be an ancient break. The socket is irregular in shape, somewhere between sub-rectangular and sub trapezoidal with a thick moulded rim. The cross section of the blade is rectangular at the break; the sides are parallel, suggesting that the cutting edge was relatively narrow.





Length: 101mm; width: 48mm; thickness: 32.7mm; weight: 240.82g.





2)    A fragment of the butt end of a palstave axehead. The corroded remnants of flanges are present on both sides, suggesting it was a long-flanged type; the cross section is H shaped with flat faces between the flanged sides.





Length: 40.6mm; width: 26.6mm; thickness: 13.6mm; weight: 46.42g.





3)    Two fragments of plano-convex copper alloy “bun” ingots: 56.6mm by 46.5mm by 24.8mm, 292.18g; 54.6mm by 55.4mm by 21.2mm, 226.11g. Both are square in plan, with one curved and one flat face and a wedge-shaped side profile.
Notes: These objects are all heavily corroded as a result of deposition in acidic greensand soils. The socketed axehead is a typically later Bronze Age type (c 1150 - 600 BC), whilst the flanged palstave is more typical of the middle Bronze Age (c 1500-1100 BC), but is also a common type of inclusion in later mixed assemblages. The bun ingots, with characteristically plano convex surfaces suggesting an origin in a bowl furnace, are also typically a product of the later Bronze Age and are often found in hoards with axeheads such as these and other implements. Due to the degraded nature of the break edges it impossible to say whether these ingot fragments belong to one or multiple ingots.  

The very close proximity of the findspots and overlapping date ranges of the finds strongly suggests that they were originally deposited as a coherent group. The composition of the assemblage is suggestive of a metalworker’s hoard, with the mixture of socketed axehead and copper ingots seen here being most common in the Ewart Park phase of the later Bronze Age (c.1000-800 BC).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder after being disclaimed as Treasure
Object: Spearhead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (1200 to 750)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Acton Trussell and Bednall, South Staffordshire, Staffordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 42.2 mm
Thickness: 7.9 mm
Weight: 10.8 g
Description: A fragment of a copper alloy Bronze Age socketed spear (spearhead) of Late Bronze Age date, circa 1200 - 750 BC. The spearhead fragment is broadly sub-triangular in plan and lozenge shaped in cross section. The terminal of the blade has a rounded and damaged tip. The object is damaged at the opposing terminal which exposes a circular shaped socket. The spearhead is hollow which would have allowed it to be hafted onto a wooden shaft. The spearhead has a pronounced midrib which extends longitudinally along the central axis of the object.The edges of the blade are abraded and the spearhead has a well developed green coloured patina which has a smooth finish and is abraded in places. 



The fragment measures  42.2 mm in length, a maximum of 22.9 mm in width and  7.9 mm in thickness, and weighs 10.8 grams.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-750 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Eythorne, Dover, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 56.8 mm
Thickness: 16.1 mm
Weight: 82.78 g
Description: An incomplete cast copper-alloy / bronze ribbed socketed axe of later Bronze Age / Ewart Park date (c. 950-750 BC).



Description: The axehead has relatively straight sides which expand towards the base to form a neat cutting edge. The blade edge has a nick out of one corner but is relatively complete and short typical of the type. The axehead is fairly worn but appears to be poorly finished with casting flash and seam lines still prominent along the sides. The section of the socketed axehead towards the socket is mostly missing, this appears to have occurred prior to the loop and rim of the mouth. It has a dark grey-green patination.



Measurements: The Axehead measures 56.8mm by 28.7mm by 16.1mm and weighs 82.78g.



Discussion: The axehead dates to the Ewart Park phase of the late Bronze Age 950 - 750 BC and due to the straight sides the date range may also fit with Bronze - Iron Age transition period known as Llyn Fawr which extends the date range to c. 650 BC. Needham (1996) period 7-8 Metalworking stage XII - XIII.  The form roughly fits the South-Eastern types illustrated in Schmidt & Burgess (1981).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Unidentified Object (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to IRON AGE (-2350 to 42)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Speen, West Berkshire, West Berkshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 65.88 mm
Thickness: 7 mm
Weight: 65.3 g
Description: Unidentified iron object of probable Iron Age date (800BC - AD42). The object is flat on both sides with three fairly straight edges and one edge with two small rounded 'bumps' and a larger rounded corner. There are two breaks on the long edge with a small semi-circular shape which suggests a piercing through the object. The shortest edge has no breaks along it but the opposite end is broken as is the top edge of the large rounded corner. There are no breaks along the side with the small rounded bumps.



Length: 65.88mm, Width: 34.09mm (widest point), Thickness: 7mm, Weight: 65.30g
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to MEDIEVAL (-1250 to 1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Chilmark, Wiltshire, Wiltshire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 57.25 mm
Height: 1 mm
Weight: 4.8 g
Description: A complete  Bronze Age to Medieval copper alloy awl dating to c1250 BC-AD 1500. It has a rectangular cross-section and one half tapers from the centre towards a chisel shape end, while the other half, with a slightly more rounded section, tapers towards a pointed end. It is in good condition, has a dark grey-green colour and a prominent casting seam along both sides of its length. Plain copper alloy awls are hard to date precisely but examples of this form are thought to have been introduced in the Bronze Age and they have barely changed throughout the centuries. They were used as leather and wood working tools.



cf NLM-48A4AA, DOR-03E430, IOW-DA8A9A.



Dimensions: 57.25mm in length; 3.3mm in width; weight 4.8g
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Hampstead Norreys, West Berkshire, West Berkshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 86.9 mm
Thickness: 36.6 mm
Weight: 171.5 g
Description: Late Bronze Age socketed axe head (1000 - 800BC), probably a South Eastern variant. Socketed looped axehead with a single sub-rectangular mouth moulding and a additional collar moulding below. There are three raised moulded ribs on either side. Ewart Park tradition (Burgess Metalworking phase XII). This corresponds to Needham’s (1996) Period 7 circa 950-750 CAL. BC. There is a fairly even mid-green patina all over and a small break on the blade, but is otherwise complete. There is also a small crack running from the socket along one side but this could be modern damage. Poor casting but that the axe is finished and the majority of the casting flashes are trimmed and hammered flat.



Length: 89.6mm. Width: 46.1mm. Thick: 36.6mm. Weight: 171.5g
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -1300)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Denmead, Winchester, Hampshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 137.4 mm
Thickness: 12.9 mm
Weight: 250 g
Description: A complete cast copper alloy unlooped primary / early phase palstave axehead (Group II) of later middle Bronze Age date (1500-1300 BC). The palstave has a low, concave stop with low flanges along both sides. The blade is wedge-shaped, with straight sides and flares to approximately 52mm in width, with a curved cutting edge. Each face of the blade has a single vertical rib running down the middle from below the stop. The axehead is heavily corroded and much of the surface has been lost.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Sword (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1140 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: West Tytherley, Test Valley, Hampshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 36.9 mm
Thickness: 7 mm
Weight: 21.19 g
Description: A fragment of the blade of a Bronze Age sword, 36.9mm in length and 30.1mm wide. The blade has a pronounced midrib 7mm thick with flanking bands of seven ridges to either side. The fragment has worn breaks all around and a more recent break across the middle.
Notes: This fragment is most likely from a Late Bronze Age "Saint Nazaire" type sword (1150-800 BC). "Saint Nazaire" type swords are the forerunner of the "Carp's Tongue" type and have features seen here, including a strong central midrib curving away to the bevels, emphasises by a grooved outline, sometimes a series of lines running parallel to the blade edge. The origin of these swords was probably found in imported French weapons which enjoyed a brief popularity in Britain during the late Penard phase, circa 1275-1140 BC. In Britain the Saint-Nazaire type swords are found in association with late Wilburton hoards, circa 1140-1020 BC, which often contain metalwork more appropriate to the succeeding Ewart Park phase, circa 1020-800 BC.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Winged Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1300 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Bressingham, South Norfolk, Norfolk (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 73 mm
Weight: 148 g
Description: Fragment of late Middle to Early late Bronze Age winged axehead with side loop. Only the central section survives with a loop on the underside of the flanged body and old brittle fractures at either end where the butt end and majority of the remarkably thin axe blade have broken away. The wings are long with the ends turning sharply inwards towards each other to secure the original haft. No stop ridges. Dark brown water patina with casting seams largely removed. Penard to Ewart park metalwork phases circa 1300-800 BC. A similar and more complete axe can be seen at BH-BE3C94 on the Portable Antiquities Database.
Notes: There is a strong hoard association with axes of this type and although it forms part of a growing Bronze Age landscape in the vicinity it is currently (Oct 2020) too isolated to be considered for Treasure.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (1150 to 800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Leckhampstead, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 68.2 mm
Thickness: 4.7 mm
Weight: 5.5 g
Description: A complete copper-alloy awl / tracer of probable late Bronze Age date, 68.2mm in length. around two thirds of the length of the object is of square cross section, tapering to a flat chisel-shaped tip (tracer end). The remaining third has sub-rounded cross section, tapering from a square collar of 4.7mm thickness to a sharp point (awl end).
Notes: Plain copper alloy awls are hard to date precisely but examples of this form are thought to have been introduced in the Bronze Age (2150-800 BC) with most being Late Bronze Age in date (1150-800 BC).
Subsequent action: Finder applying for an export licence
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to IRON AGE (-1100 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Eythorne, Dover, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 23.67 mm
Thickness: 10.42 mm
Weight: 19.37 g
Description: A heavily worn fragment of cast Late Bronze Age copper alloy socketed axe head, probably dating to 1100-800 BC.



Description: The fragment represents part of the blade end of the long rectangular socketed body of the axehead. No edge remains intact so over all shape is based on known more complete examples. The blade runs in a very shallow convex curve and is heavily abraded, the blade tips likely flared slightly outwards. The surviving cross section of the socket is sub-oval. The remaining body appears to be undecorated although with such little remaining it is not possible to be sure although the casting seam is clearly visible . The axehead is patinated dark green and mottled light brown to green across the abraded edges.



Measurements: Length: 23.67mm, Width: 24mm, Thickness: 10.42mm, Weight: 19.37g.



Discussion: Although, due to completeness it is not certain but this axehead probably fits into the Ewart park or Wilburton metal working groups, giving it a date of 1100-800 BC (Schmidt & Burgess 1981: 119).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Sword (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: St. Nicholas and Bonvilston, the Vale of Glamorgan, the Vale of Glamorgan (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 27.8 mm
Thickness: 8.8 mm
Weight: 16.05 g
Description: A cast copper alloy fragment of a Late Bronze Age sword dating to c.1000-800 BC. The fragment is sub-rectangular in plan and sub-oval in section with both ends terminating in old damage. The fragment is a small section of the blade with a convex/raised midrib (14mm wide, max 8.8mm thick) flanked by a pair of parallel longitudinal grooves on either side c.3mm from the long edge on both faces. The grooves do not appear to narrow on the fragment and the distance is the same between the lines at the upper and lower section of the fragment (14mm) although the long edges of the blade are damaged from corrosion so the cutting edge has been lost.



The tip of the object is rounded and pitted with bright green corrosion. The other end has a central concentric depression c.3.5mm in diameter in profile. One side of the blade has 3 small holes, likely corrosion products. 



The fragment is small and lacking diagnostic features so it is difficult to ascribe a type with certainty. A similar sword fragment of Carp’s Tongue type with two longitudinal grooves is illustrated in Knight, Ormrod & Pearce (2015:99 pl. 26 no. 325) from West Knighton, Dorset. Burgess (1968:22 fig. 13) also illustrates a sword from the River Thames dating to the Carp’s Tongue complex of the Late Bronze Age. The fragment is likely from a Carp’s Tongue type sword of the Ewart Park phase of metalwork.



The object is a medium green patina with patches of bright green corrosion and measures 27.8mm long, 21.5mm wide, 8.8mm thick and weighs 16.05kg.



Similar objects are recorded on the PAS database e.g. CORN-56AC86, DOR-B4D511, BH-9CC7C7, BH-4C7707, ESS-3BF240



References: 



Knight, M., Ormrod, T., and Pearce, S. 2015. The Bronze Age Metalwork of South Western Britain: A corpus of material found between 1983 and 2014. BAR British Series 610.



Burgess, C.B. Bronze Age Metalwork in Northern England c.1000 to 700 BC. Andover: Cengage Learning (EMEA)
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1300 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Sidemoor, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 68.25 mm
Thickness: 14.23 mm
Weight: 47.73 g
Description: An incomplete copper alloy socketed axehead dating to the Late Bronze Age (c. 1300-700 BC). The remains of the object consist of the blade edge and part of the body, which terminates in an uneven worn break leaving part of the socketed interior visible. The break is slightly higher on one side of the axehead than the other, thus the tapered sides of the body of the axehead are visible. The blade edge is curved but very worn and chipped. The axehead has a thick dark reddish brown patina in patches across its surface (c. 30%), however much of this has been chipped and abraded away revealing a brown patina underneath. It is not possible to identify whether the axe has been sharpened or whether a casting seam existed due to most of its patina being chipped away. 



The lack of diagnostic features from this axehead fragment prevents a more exact type or parallel for its form being cited, however socketed axeheads are believed to date from the Middle Bronze Age (c.1300 BC) to the Earliest Iron Age (c.700/600 BC).



The overall dimensions are as follows: 68.25mm in length, 38.39mm in width, 14.23mm in thickness and 47.73g in weight.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Miniature Object (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2250 to -1200)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Norton-on-Derwent, Ryedale, North Yorkshire (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 51.1 mm
Thickness: 4.8 mm
Weight: 12.88 g
Description: A copper alloy miniature developed flat axe, or perhaps a chisel, of Bronze Age date, probably 2250 - 1200 BC. The cast axe is near-complete. It has expanding straight sides, flaring more at the cutting end into a curved cutting edge, which is slightly lopsided, possibly from use or damaged. The butt also has straight sides, tapering towards the rounded butt. There is a thickening in the centre of the axe; the start of a proto stop ridge, but no actual stop or flanges. The axe has a well developed green patina with some pitting.  The total length is 51.1mm, the length of the blade is 27.3mm, the length of the butt is 19.7mm.  The width of the blade is 15.7mm tapering to 10.7mm.  The width of the butt is 10.1mm tapering to 8.4mm.  The thickness of the blade is 4.8mm at the centre tapering towards the edges.  The weight is 12.88g.



Parallels on the database include HAMP-B3BE22 which is recorded under FLANGED AXEHEAD (Class: miniature) and is very similar in scale and shape to this example. Other items with similarities, such as HAMP-710DC5 are recorded as CHISEL, while further examples such as NMS-4436A4 are recorded as MINIATURE OBJECT. YORYM-3F6A11 is a miniature flat axe and the record suggests that it is too small to be functional, commenting that miniature axes modelled on later Bronze Age types (such as socketed axes) have been found on Iron Age and Roman sites in secure contexts. Compare also IOW-40D79C. Tanged chisels such as SUR-505F93 and SUSS-AEB91C are also similar but have a tang that terminates in a point. They are also very difficult to date, but the patina on this example is consistent with a Bronze Age date.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Sword (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 48.3 mm
Thickness: 8.2 mm
Weight: 33.52 g
Description: A possible Bronze Age sword fragment dating to c. 1000-800 cal BC.



The fragment consists of the triangular tip of an object, possibly a sword. The fragment has a soft lozenge shaped cross section with very rounded edges. The tip is also very rounded. The object has a thick green patina with some black staining. Similarly on the break is a slightly browner corrosion product although wether this is indicative of an Iron core is difficult to determine. Regardless the patina is chipped and worn.



The object is 48.3mm long, 39.0mm wide, 8.2mm thick and weighs 33.52 grams.



The triangular shape and lozenge profile are similar to that seen on Wilburton and Ewart park Swords dating to the Late Bronze Age. It may also be the tip of a leaf shaped pegged spearhead as the central rib on these is weaker in the later periods.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1300 to -600)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, Wiltshire ()
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 44.9 mm
Thickness: 17.1 mm
Weight: 150 g
Description: A fragment of a large socketed axehead of later Bronze Age date. The fragment comprises the blade and front portion of the axehead, which is 44.9mm in length, with a maximum width of 50mm. The side profile is triangular and there are prominent casting seams down the sides. The blade edge is curved but much of the cutting edge has been lost.
Notes: Socketed axes generally date from the Middle Bronze Age through to the Early Iron Age (c1300- 600 BC) - however the precise typological group for this example is uncertain.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Upper Winchendon, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 55.6 mm
Thickness: 4.9 mm
Weight: 5.2 g
Description: Late Bronze Age copper-alloy awl. The tang makes up three fifths of the whole length and the blade makes up the remainder. The tang the is square in cross-section at its base and tapers to a flat point at the proximal end. The blade is circular in cross-section and tapers to a round, only slightly blunted point at the distal end. Parallels on this database include NMS-D7A737 and NMS-FC7BC5. c.1000 - c.700 BC.



Length: 55.6mm. Width: 5.0mm. Thickness: 4.9mm. Weight: 5.2g
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Sword (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2500 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Leamington Hastings, Rugby, Warwickshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 20.83 mm
Thickness: 3.02 mm
Weight: 3.5 g
Description: A fragment of copper-alloy Bronze Age sword or dagger, dating to 2500 BC - 800 BC. The fragment appears to be the tip of the blade, it is triangular and has a lozenge shaped cross section with bevelled edges.

Length: 20.83 mm

Width: 18.29 mm

Thickness: 3.02 mm

Weight: 3.5 g
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Awl (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to MEDIEVAL (-800 to 1000)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: East Tuddenham, Breckland, Norfolk (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 72 mm
Diameter: 11 mm
Weight: 31.5 g
Description: Complete copper alloy awl or chisel possibly of Bronze Age date. The object is 72mm long and circular in cross-section. It tapers over its length from 11mm in diameter at the striking end to 6mm at the working end. The last 7mm is bevelled from opposite sides to form a chisel point. The upper striking end of the tool is slightly upset, presumably from hammering. According to the PAS website (https://finds.org.uk/guides/bronzeage/objects/awl) awls are difficult to date but most copper-alloy examples are probably from the Late Bronze Age. They can have circular or square cross sections and are generally undecorated. They would have been used to make holes in leather or wood and many were probably inserted into a handle made from organic materials. The surface condition and patination of this object is commensurate with an object of some age. However, given the lack of archaeological context, and dating difficulty, a Bronze Age date cannot be assured; therefore, the suggested date range has been widened somewhat. Circa 800 BC-AD 1000.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Knife (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1300 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Owston and Newbold, Harborough, Leicestershire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: An incomplete Middle to Late Bronze Age copper-alloy tanged knife dating to the period c. 1300 - 800 BC. The tang is rectangular and damaged, with a single circular rivet hole for the attachment of the missing handle. The blade is sub-rectangular and expands slightly before tapering slowly towards an old break slightly above the tip. The knife has a very dark green almost black patina.



Length: 120.15 mm

Width: 17.83 mm

Thickness: 2.65 mm

Weight: 21.1 g



Similar tanged knives on the database include: NMS-27C352 DOR-761B1C and SOM-BCDC68
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Flanged Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2000 to -1700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Hartwell, South Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 134.42 mm
Thickness: 25.84 mm
Weight: 439 g
Description: A complete copper alloy flanged axehead of Later Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age date (2000-1700 BC). The object is a long flanged developed flat axe.



This axehead has a rounded arched butt and slightly diverging sides that abruptly expand to a broad crescentic blade and cutting edge, with the blade tips at right angles to the sides, with some slight recurving.



Shallow ovate cast flanges extend along the sides, rising very gradually from the butt towards the middle of the axe and sloping down again to the blade expansion. This gives the axe a lenticular side profile.



There is a raised transverse stop-ridge running half way down the butt length. 



The metal is brown in colour with areas of light blue active copper alloy disease on both faces, predominant on one face but present on the other. 





Length: 134.42mm, Width (blade end): 78.32mm, Width (butt end): 27.18mm, Thickness (at flanges): 25.84mm, Weight: 439.0g



Schmidt and Burgess (1981, p.59) trace the development of the flat axe in Britain and Ireland. They identify the trend, "...from broad, simple, triangular forms with splaying sides and flat, even slightly convex, unembelleshed faces, to increasingly narrow forms, with ever-straighter sides that diverge less and less, approaching and even attaining, the parallel sided form typical of flanged axes. The trend is towards slightly dished faces, the edges of the faces are worked up into slight flanges, and a median bevel is an increasingly common feature. Decoration...becomes a commonplace..."



Schmidt and Burgess (ibid.) explain that these developments were in part a function of changing hafting methods - the knee handle, with forked angled end required a narrower shape to fit snugly between the prongs of the fork. Furthermore, dished faces and raised edges made the seating more secure, and the median bevel reduced the tendency of the axe to be driven up into the fork, (WMID-143A14).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Ribbon (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2200 to -800)
Material: Gold 
Found: Corbar, High Peak, Derbyshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 76.2 mm
Weight: 4 g
Description: A Bronze Age&nbsp;gold ribbon, dating to 2200 - 800 BC. It comprises a folded&nbsp;rectangular strip of sheet&nbsp;or ribbon gold. It is decorated with&nbsp;around 16&nbsp;parallel ridges running along its length across one side; the reverse is undecorated.&nbsp;

Length: 72.6 mm
Width: 12.7 mm&nbsp;
Weight: 4 g

Notes:

The object is consistent with a number of examples which have been determined to be Treasure on the&nbsp;PAS&nbsp;database including 2014T777 (HEMP-36C41B), 2018T642 (NMS-A603B), 217T672 (NMS-B2D198), 2019T991 (DUR-9B1BA0), 2019T866 (HEMP 37143A), 2011T459 (LIN-946F12) and 2020T516 (SWYOR-DBF058). Incised longitudinal grooves are present on at least one side of many of these examples. Some are plain strips whilst others exhibit one or two perforations. Furthermore, the design is redolent of two examples from the multi-period site of Ranvecliffe Cave in Derbyshire, held within the British Museum Collections 1906.1224.1 and 1906.1224.2. These examples were postulated to date to the period between circa 2500-800&nbsp;BC, providing a broad Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age date. Other dates recorded within the Treasure cases suggest a narrower period between circa 2200-800, encompassing the entirety of the Bronze Age, whilst 2014T777 suggests a Middle to Late Bronze Age date of between circa 1600-800&nbsp;BC. As a result, a broad Bronze Age date is offered here of between circa 2300-800&nbsp;BC. In all of these examples, it is not clear what their function was.
Subsequent action: Submitted for consideration as Treasure
Object: Flat Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2350 to -1601)
Material: Copper 
Found: Llandyfaelog, Carmarthenshire, Carmarthenshire (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 107.8 mm
Thickness: 10.2 mm
Weight: 253.6 g
Description: A badly corroded copper or copper alloy flat axe of Early Bronze Age date (c. 2350 BC to 1601 BC). It is broadly sub trapezoid in plan, although the axe has lost too much of its original shape to confidently assign it to a type using Schmidt and Burgess (1981). No. 270, pg. 50, Plate 22 has a generally similar shape apart from its smaller, flatter butt. The axe itself has a fairly narrow and rounded butt (36.5mm wide) and appears to have relatively straight sides although one is slightly convex- again it is difficult to tell the original side shape due to the heavy corrosion. The cutting edge is strongly curved and unexpanded. The axe is flat lenticular in profile, and rectangular in section. 



The axe is heavily corroded, with much of the surface covered with active corrosion and corrosion products. This corrosion has led to the total loss of the original surface, changing the shape of the axe. The parts of the axe not covered by corrosion bear a dull red brown patina of uneven, pitted texture. The dull red colour may suggest that the axe is made of copper rather than copper alloy, which would date it to the chalcolithic, the earliest part of the Bronze Age (c. 2500-2200 BC).
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1600 to -1400)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Methwold, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Norfolk (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 148 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight: 380 g
Description: Palstave axe of Middle Bronze Age date (c. 1,600 to 1,400 BC), of typical non side-looped form with a "shield" shaped moulding immediately below the stop ridge. The H shaped hafting channels at the butt are well developed with high side  flanges to support the split wood handle, the end of the butt terminates in an oblique angle, this is most likely due to a casting flaw at the top of the mould, it looks unlikely that this is post-depositional damage. The axe is complete, though there are small losses to the thin cutting edge. Most of the surfaces are patinated dark brown, indicative of being deposited in a watery location, there are some slight green patches to one side of the hafting channel, the other face has some small recent scrapes revealing the original colour of the metal. 



MBA material is frequently found in very good condition with this brown patination around the Fen edge and other similar landscapes. It is very likely this piece represents intentional votive deposition.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Flat Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2350 to -2050)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Southwick, East Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire (East Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 67.26 mm
Thickness: 9.37 mm
Weight: 55.8 g
Description: An incomplete cast copper alloy Flat Axe of Early Bronze Age dating (2350-2050 BC).



The object is sub rectangular in shape with a splayed crescent shaped blade. In profile it is broadly lentoid, with slight tapering edges. The butt is narrowed and rounded in profile. The sides of the axe gently expand in width from the butt to the blade; in shape they are gently curved. There are no traces of a stop ridge present. The sides of the blade expand to produce a crescentic blade edge. The tips of the crescent shaped blade are abraded as is the blade edge itself.



Length: 67.26mm, Width (blade): 28.87mm, Width (butt): 16.45mm, Thickness: 9.37mm, Weight: 55.80g



The metal is dark green/brown in colour with a heavily pitted and corroded patina. 



The axehead date to the Early Bronze Age and fits within the earliest phases of metal working in Britain, metalworking stage II, which corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 2 circa 2350- 2050 CAL. BC. This means that they are dated, broadly, to the same period as Beaker pottery, barbed and tanged flint arrowheads, copper halberds and gold lunulae.



Reference:



Needham, S. (1996) Chronology and Periodisation in the British Bronze Age. Acta Archaeologia, vol 67, pp121-140
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Arkesden, Uttlesford, Essex (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 27 mm
Height: 14.9 mm
Weight: 10.8 g
Description: Very worn fragment of a copper-alloy socketed axehead dating to the Late Bronze Age period, that is c. 1000-800BC.



The remaining fragment of the axehead takes the form of a slightly curved sub rectangular piece of the looped section of a socketed axe. The loop is still present and is integrally cast. 



Dimensions: weight: 10.8g, length: 27.0mm, width: 16.3mm, height: 14.9mm
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Flanged Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2000 to -1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Well, Hambleton, North Yorkshire (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 36.7 mm
Height: 9.6 mm
Weight: 35.51 g
Description: A fragment of a copper-alloy (bronze) flanged axe or possibly a palstave of late Early Bronze Age or Middle Bronze Age date (2000-1500 BC). It has a H shaped cross-section, and the flanges appear to be cast. Only the butt of the tool survives. It tapers to a wedge and is rounded. Not enough survives to be sure if the tool is a flanged axe or a palstave. Dimensions: length 36.7mm, width 25.2mm, height 9.6mm, weight 35.51g. Compare CAM-4BBA1C.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Flat Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2200 to -2000)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Newton Poppleford and Harpford, East Devon, Devon ()
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 91.9 mm
Thickness: 8.2 mm
Weight: 113 g
Description: A possibly incomplete copper alloy flat axehead of Migdale type dating to the Early Bronze Age, c. 2200-2000 BC. 



The axehead has a slightly truncated butt, which may be due to a break or simply its individual form. It remains fairly narrow and rectilinear in shape before flaring to the blade. It is rectangular in cross section, although the blade narrows to its original cutting surface. It appears undecorated but the surface is pitted and marked across the dark green shiny patina. 



It is similar to DEV-0CAAEF, although slightly shorter in the butt. It is characteristic of south western metalwork from "metalworking stage II", which corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 2 (c.2350-2050 cal BC) Knight, Ormrod & Pearce (2015: 87, no. 3, 11, 213) illustrate a number of similar examples from the south western peninsula including Devon and Cornwall. 



Measurements: 91.9mm length, 38.7mm width, 8.2mm thickness, weight 113.3g
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Socketed Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1000 to -800)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Alvechurch, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 66.5 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight: 129.2 g
Description: An incomplete cast copper alloy socketed axehead, of Late Bronze Age dating (1000 BC to 800 BC).



It is likely less than 50% of the socketed axehead is now present. The remains consist of the blade edge which is worn and a socketed section of the axehead. The fragment is sub rectangular in plan with sides that taper inwards from the blade edge. The axehead has an inverted triangular side profile. There are no casting ridges evident along both sides. The blade edge is rounded and well worn. It is noticeably more worn on one of the outer corners than the other. Some of the original surface has been lost around the blade edge on one face. The axehead has a well worn and abraded green coloured surface patina. There is also a small separate fragment of the object that separated from the main body after it was found. 



The socketed axehead fragment measures 66.5 mm in length, 48.3 mm wide (at the blade), 38.1 mm wide (at the now damaged and open socket), 26 mm thick (at the open socket), 3.2 mm thick (at the blade edge). The sides are 2.9 mm thick. It weighs 129.2 g.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Pin (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1400 to -1250)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Reepham, Broadland, Norfolk (Eastern)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 73.9 mm
Thickness: 4.8 mm
Weight: 9.5 g
Description: Probable incomplete Middle Bronze Age copper-alloy quoit-headed pin. The looped head is mostly missing, with only two short stumps surviving. These are thin and rectangular in cross-section: flat on the internal and external edges of the loop. However, there is a concave bevelled constriction in the middle of both sides, just above the junction with the shank (best viewed from the top).

The shank is oval in cross-section and emerges from the head with a significant concave taper over the first five millimetres of its length. Over approximately this same distance, the longest axis of the oval cross-section is parallel with the plane of the head. After that, the taper is much more subtle and the shank twists so that its long axis is oblique to the plane of the head. It maintains this orientation and taper throughout the rest of its length. The tip is blunt and probably represents a worn break. There is a slight bend in the shank, at just over halfway along its extant length from the head. Most of the shank has a dark green patina, becoming dark brown near and on the stumps of the head. See NMS-3D6677 on this database for a more complete example. c.1400-1250 BC.



Length: 73.9mm. Width (span of stumps of head): 18.0mm. Thickness at head and top of shank: 4.8mm. Width at tip (long diameter): 3.9mm Thickness at tip (short diameter): 3.2mm. Weight: 9.5g
Notes: Quoit-headed pins are characteristic of the Middle Bronze Age 'ornament horizon' which has been dated to the Taunton and Penard metalwork phases (Roberts 2007, 139-41). Quoit-headed pins are relatively rare, with c. 80 known examples. The form and size of pins varies considerably, with examples of all types found mainly in East Anglia, the south coast and south-west.



ENF146829
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1600 to -1000)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Stoke Row, South Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 38 mm
Thickness: 14.5 mm
Weight: 80.8 g
Description: Tip of a middle BA palstave with traces of a primary / early group palstave group III Middle Bronze Age date (1500-1300 BC) - most probably associated with the Acton Park II and Taunton metalworking assemblages (Needham Period 5) - both assemblages fit within Burgess Metal Working Stage VIII and IX. Light green patina all over



Length: 38mm, Width: 45.5mm, Thickness: 14.5mm, Weight: 80.8g
Subsequent action: Returned to finder
Object: Flanged Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-2050 to -1700)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Buttermere, Wiltshire, Wiltshire (South West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 99.39 mm
Thickness: 12.67 mm
Weight: 156.59 g
Description: A copper alloy long flanged flat axehead of Needham (2017) Type 4d or e dating to the Early Bronze Age c. 2050-1700 cal BC.



Description: This axe head has a rounded arched butt, a body that starts narrow but increasingly widens, a crescentic blade edge and long low flanges. The low flanges are worn to the point they are barely discernable  From this point the body of the axe (the septum) thickens regularly to a point just further than half way along its length (c.45 mm from the butt). At this point there is a shallow, almost imperceptible, thickened ridge, which may indicate the beginnings of stop ridge technology as is seen on later flanged axes and palstaves. 



After the proto stop-ridge the body of the axe thin gradually to the blade edge of the axe. Concurrently the body of the axehead widens in a smooth curve so that the wings at the side of the axeblade are almost perpendicular to the body of the axe. The blade edge itself is crescent shaped and slightly more angled than the narrowing body. One corner has been damaged. The blade edge is slightly bevelled indicating it has been sharpened at least once. The surface of the axehead is heavily patinated and surfacely pitted. It has a mottled dark green through to light grey-green colouration



Measurements: 99.39mm long, 50.82mm wide (at blade end, 23.1mm wide at mid point, 17.82mm wide at butt end), 12.67mm thick and 156.59g in weight



Discussion: This is a low flanged axe of Early Bronze Age date. The lack of developed stop ridge suggests it most likely dates to the later stages of the Early Bronze Age. Needham (1983, 2017) has produced a typology of Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age flat and flanged axeheads that defines them based on the ratios of their physical form (Needham 2017, 4, Table 1). This axe meets all the criteria for a Type 4e Axehead and most closely corresponds to a Type 4E Withington form (Needham, 2017, 27-29, 55-56). Needham places the date of this type of axe to between the 20th and 18th centuries cal BC c. 1900-1700 cal BC (ibid 45, fig 16).



These axes are traditionally assigned to the Long Flanged or Developed Flat Axe of Aylesford type (following Schmidt and Burgess 1981) that fit with Burgess’ metalworking tradition phase IV, and corresponds to Needham’s (1996) Period 3 (circa 2050 - 1700 CAL. BC)



Similarly formed examples on the database include  SOM-90B762, LVPL-AC4D8B, SF-003BC7 and DEV-987893.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder