Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1700 to -1500)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Wenvoe, the Vale of Glamorgan, the Vale of Glamorgan (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: Early Bronze Age hoard of two incomplete flanged axes and one spearhead.



1. and 2. Class 5Db Long-flanged axe (2 conjoining fragments)



Dimensions: surviving length blade fragment 1 - 71.9mm; surviving length butt fragment 2 - 28.2mm; combined total length approx.108.8mm; blade width (fragment 1) - 47.9mm; butt width fragment 2 - 21.0mm; maximum thickness at flanges (fragment 1 ) - 17.5mm; maximum height of flanges (fragment 1) - 3.0mm; weight fragment 1 - 154.1g; fragment 2 - 28.3g; combined weight 182.4g.



These are two conjoining fragments of a complete, slender, bronze flanged axe with cast flanges. The sides of the axe are straight and near parallel, although there is a subtle impression of a curved and waisted effect, created by the curvature of the sides and inward curving effect of the flanges. The sides curve out suddenly to an expanded blade with a crescentic cutting edge. The butt shows some curvature, although with sub-angular corners, rather than truly arched form. Approximately 54mm from the butt end, there is a median bevel across both faces. The flanges rise approximately 3mm above the septum on each face. The sides of the axe are evenly curved and undecorated. Striations running parallel with the blade edge on the blade bevels indicate that the axes was sharpened for use. The break surfaces on the two fragments are soil covered and do not appear to be recent. The overall patina is dark green, although with extensive mottled patches of lighter blue-green and pitting evident on all faces and along edges.



3. Long flanged axe butt fragment (Class 5)



Dimensions: surviving length 62.0mm; butt width 19.8mm; maximum thickness at flanges 13.4mm; maximum surviving height of flanges approx. 1.5mm; width at break 24.3mm; weight 79.7g.



This is a butt and mid-section of a slender bronze flanged axe with cast flanges. The sides are straight but slightly divergent. The butt is high arched and with a pinched tapering form in side view. The flanges are worn and rise a maximum of 1.5mm above the septum. The sides are curved and undecorated, although one side has slight angularity suggesting uneven hammering. Approximately 47.5mm from the butt, there is a median bevel across both faces. Across the break, the axe reveals an asymmetry in cross-section, with one side and flanges narrower than the other. On one side, the thickness, including flanges, is 13.4mm and the septum is 9.7mm thick, while on the other, the thickness including flanges is 12.0mm and the thickness of the septum is 9.1mm. Some of this asymmetry, most marked near the break, may have been created by the forcible twisting and breaking of the axe, causing localised deformation of the metal. The break surface is soil covered and the break was made in antiquity. The axe has a dark grey-green patination, with areas of mottled pitting with lighter blue-green corroded surfaces.



4. Type 2A Decorated Early Pegged and Socketed Spearhead 



Dimensions: length 196.0mm; maximum width blade 33.8mm; external diameter socket 22.8mm (side to side) by 22.1mm top to bottom; maximum blade thickness (base) 13.2mm; depth of socket approx.. 82.5mm; diameter peg holes (1) 6.8mm (side to side) by 4.7mm (top to bottom); (2) 7.2mm (side to side) by 4.4mm (top to bottom); weight 179.9g



This is a complete bronze spearhead with a triangular shaped blade, tapering near the point. The blade has a narrow and prominent lozenge midrib and the blade is enclosed by a raised bevel, with deep blade channels and a V-shaped raised base. The base of the blade edges merge with the oval-shaped socket with shallow concave curves. The socket retains angularity down both sides, in line with the blade edges, only becoming indistinct near the mouth. The base of the socket shaft extends only to the base of the blade and the blade is solid cast. Near the socket mouth (5-7mm from the mouth edge), are tow oval shaped peg-holes, each with recessed external borders.



The socket of the spearhead has been decorated on both sides, although it is better preserved on one face and indistinct on the other. At the top and beneath the V-shaped blade base, an incised V-shaped pair of parallel lines, approximately 2.5m apart, is infilled with short parallel lines. Beneath this, a banded decorative schema is aligned at right angles to the axis of the spear and parallel with the socket mouth edge. The first decorative band is a single zone of infilled chevrons, enclosed by two incised lines approximately 3mm apart. Between this and the next zone of decoration is a plain band, bordered by a second double band of decoration, 5mm wide and comprising three parallel incised lines, each infilled with angled and parallel lines all of the same alignment. Following a further plain band, is a third, single zone of infilled chevrons, defined by two lines. The fourth and final banded decoration, comprises two linear incised bands, with a herringbone infilled pattern of parallel lines. At the lower margin, bordered by the socket mouth edge, a short stretch of shorter incised, and angled dash marks defines the edge. The upper band of decoration abuts the lower margins of each peg-hole, although it is not possible to say whether the decoration was applied before or after the peg-holes were shaped.



There are striations visible on the blade bevel, running parallel to the blade edge in places, suggesting sharpening for use. On one face, one of the lateral blade channels has been markedly deepened with an angular striation, possibly created in antiquity during preparation of the blade edges. On one upper socket face, there is a rectangular shaped punched depression set into the face. Localised deformation above and below this, suggests this may have been deliberate and forcible damage, either during use, or immediately before deposition. There is a split in the wall of the socket mouth on one side. One or two scratches and scrapes appear to have been made during the recent past, during ploughing or retrieval from the soil. The surfaces of the spearhead are extensively pitted and the spearhead has a dark grey-green patination.
Notes: The two Class 5 long-flanged axes and the Early Pegged and Socketed Spearhead within this artefact group may all be dated to the same Arreton phase (Period 4, Metalwork Assemblage VI) of the Early Bronze Age (e.g. Northover unpublished, 104-13; Burgess & Cowen 1972; Schmidt & Burgess 1981, 70-5; Needham et al 1985, iii; Needham 1996, 132-3; Rohl & Needham 1998, 91-2). They are contemporary with the Wessex 2 rich grave tradition and Camerton-Snowshill dagger and knife series across southern Britain, now independently radiocarbon dated to 1750/1700-1500 BC (e.g. Burgess & Cowen 1972, 179-80; Needham & Woodward 2008, 7, Fig. 3; Needham et al 2010, 364-5 & Table 1; Woodward & Hunter 2015, 462).



The complete flanged-axe (Nos. 1 & 2 above) best correlates with Type Arreton long-flanged axes most densely distributed across southern, eastern and south-western England (e.g. Burgess & Cowen 1972, 176-8, Figs. 6 & 7; Schmidt & Burgess 1981, 72-5, Cats. 408-25B; Needham 1985; Needham et al 1985, iii; Northover unpublished Cats. 95-108). When the critical measurements for these flanged axes are applied within Needham's metrical classification of Class 5 axes for central and southern Britain (Needham 1983, 198-250), it appears to fit within the parameters of Class 5Db axes, with their narrow blade edges, while its relative flange height of 0.03714 sits within the range for true Class 5 flanged axes (Needham 1983, 65-6 & 198, Figs. 72-6).



The butt fragment of a long-flanged axe (Nos. 3 above) also exhibits attributes most closely correlated with a Type Arreton long-flanged axe: narrow form, cast flanges, a high arched butt with pinched tapering form in side section and a median bevel (Schmidt & Burgess 1981, 72). The surviving flange heights, at 1.5mm, are low for a true Class 5 flanged axe, although they may once have been higher and they do look to be cast rather than hammered. Given the absence of a blade end for this fragmentary axe, it is not possible to allocate it to sub-class on metrical grounds (Needham 1983, 198-250). The asymmetry of this flanged axe in cross-section is interesting and may indicate forcible twisting and breaking prior to deposition.



The spearhead (No. 4 above) may be identified as an Early Socketed Spearhead of Group 2 and Type 2A of Pegged form (Davis 2012, 40-1). This example may be closely paralleled with examples from Colwick, Nottinghamshire, Twickenham, London West Row Fen, Suffolk and Stow cum Quy, Cambridgeshire (Davis 2012, 41, Cats. 50, 53-5, Plates 5-6). Decorated examples of both pegged and looped forms of Early Socketed Spearheads are a repeating occurrence. A number have banded decoration on their sockets, while infilled chevron designs, as one the Wenvoe example, have also been previously observed (Davis 2012, Cats. 49, 50, 52, 54, 60, 64, 66, 74-6 & Pls.5-7).



The finder's account of the discovery of these artefacts indicate that the two conjoining fragments of flanged axe (Nos. 1 & 2 above) were found within 2m of each other at a depth of 20-25cm beneath the surface. The flanged axe butt fragment (No. 3 above) was found at a similar depth but approximately 8-10m to the south-south-west and following the line of modern ploughing of the field. The spearhead (No. 4 above) was found at a very shallow depth of just 2-3cm (1 inch), immediately after later deep ploughing of the field. It was located some 13-15m away from the first two flanged axe fragments, to the north-north west and nearer to the field hedge line and lane bordering the field to the north. It is probable that these artefacts had been buried together and at the same time during the Early Bronze Age as a hoard group, possibly in a shallow and isolated pit. The original hoard was probably disturbed and dispersed by the farmer during recent ploughing activity, who was also the finder in this instance.



Authors



Adam Gwilt - Principal Curator: Prehistory, Department of History & Archaeology, Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales



Mark Lodwick - Portable Antiquities Scheme Wales (PAS Cymru) Co-ordinator
Subsequent action: Acquired by museum after being declared Treasure