Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-950 to -750)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Madley, County of Herefordshire, County of Herefordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: A hoard of five Late Bronze Age axeheads with no other artefact types reported 



Axe 1 South Wales (Stogursey) variant Type Found c.0.6m below surface with blade to the south The axe is near-complete, with some damage to the blade edge (with a length of 105.3mm and a weight of 326.1g). The sub-rectangular mouth (50.8mm x 44.6mm) is flat-topped, slightly bevelled inwards. Remnant stubs of four casting runners are discernible on the mouth, indicating a four-runner casting technology. The socket is sub-rectangular at the mouth (36.9mm x 29.5mm and 80.8mm deep), with sides gradually converging to its base. The mouth has a single moulding (7mm long) sloping to the face (5-6mm high). The loop springs from the base of the moulding and is of irregular D-shaped section (32.7mm long, 6.5mm wide, 5mm thick; with internal dimensions of 6.7mm long and 6.7mm high). The sides are very gently concave before diverging at the blade to produce a moderately expanded blade edge (59.1mm wide), with some damage to one of the blade tips and the blade edge. The sides have a slight bevel to the casting seam at the centre, producing a sub-rectangular to hexagonal body section. Both casting seams are clearly discernible and have been fettled, probably by hammering. The faces are decorated with near-parallel ribs; one face has five ribs, while the other has three ribs with the edges enhanced with a rib each. Both faces are slightly convex across their widths. The faces and gradually converge and have a weak blade facet (26mm from the blade edge). The surface has a dark-brown patina, partially preserved and sharpening striations are evident running along the blade on both faces.



Axe 2 probably Type Welby Found c.3cm below axe 1 with blade to the east The axe is complete (with a length of 97.8mm and a weight of 267.1g). The sub-oval mouth (44.9mm x 41.7mm) is flat-topped, slightly bevelled outwards. Only one casting stub is now evident with the casting seams on the sides but is likely to have been two-runner casting technology. The socket is sub-oval at the mouth (34.0mm x 30.5mm and 74.7mm deep), with sides gradually converging to its base. There is a distinct dollar (16mm long), which is concave across its length and bounded by a horizontal moulding at its base. The casting flashes on the collar appear unfinished (with a height of up to 3.7mm); below the collar, the flashes have undergone more fettling from hammering. The sides are concave and are expanded at the blade (to give a blade width of 51.5mm) to produce a moderately rounded blade edge. The casting seams are not central but deeper to one side. The loop springs from the base of the collar and is of sub-triangular section (28mm long, 7.6mm wide, 4.4mm thick; with internal dimensions of 4.7mm long and 7.0mm high). The ribs also descend from the base of the collar; each face has three-ribs, which are convergent on one face and near-parallel on the other but are angled and are not parallel with the sides. The body section is sub-rectangular with convex faces and sides. The faces are also convex across their lengths. Weak blade facets are evident (18mm from the blade edge). The surface has a dark-brown patina, partially preserved and some striations are evident below the patina, running perpendicular to the blade but are not consistent and may not be the result of sharpening.



Axe 3 South Wales (Stogursey) variant Type Found touching axe 4 The axe is complete (with a length of 89.0mm and a weight of 263.5g). The sub-rectangular mouth (48.5mm x 42.9mm) is flat-topped and has remnant stubs of four casting runners, indicating a four-runner casting technology. The socket is sub-rectangular at the mouth (34.8mm x 27.7mm and 70.8mm deep), with sides gradually converging to its base. The mouth has a single moulding (7mm long) sloping to the face (4-6mm high). The loop springs from just beneath the base of the moulding and is of irregular oval section (32.7mm long, 6.5mm wide, 5mm thick; with internal dimensions of 6.7mm long and 6.7mm high). The sides are very gently concave before diverging at the blade to produce a moderately expanded blade edge (59.1mm wide), with some damage to one of the blade tips and the blade edge. The sides have a slight bevel to the casting seam at the centre, producing a sub-rectangular to hexagonal body section. Both casting seams are clearly discernible and have been fettled, probably by hammering. The faces are decorated with near-parallel ribs; one face has five ribs, while the other has three ribs with the edges enhanced with a rib each. Both faces are slightly convex across their widths. The faces gradually converge and have a weak blade facet (26mm from the blade edge). The surface has a dark-brown patina, partially preserved and sharpening striations are evident running along the blade on both faces.



Axe 4 Type Found touching axe 3 The axe is complete (with a length of 91.2mm and a weight of 246.8g). The socket is sub-rectangular at the mouth (44.5mm x 37.1mm and 64.2mm deep), with concave sides gradually converging to its base. Traces of three, of the four runner stubs are evident on the mouth. The axe has a collar moulding (16mm long) with a slight concavity along its length. The loop springs from just above the base of the moulding and is of irregular triangular section (26mm long, 6.5mm wide, 6mm thick; with internal dimensions of 12.3mm long and 5.3mm high). The sides are concave, before diverging more sharply at the blade and produce a moderately expanded blade edge (53.5mm wide) and with moderate curve to the blade edge. The sides have prominent and high casting seams (up to 4.5mm high), suggesting minimal finishing and fettling. Either side of the casting seam, the sides are slightly convex across their widths, producing a sub-rectangular body section. Both faces are decorated with three ribs, descending from the base of the collar moulding. One face has three fine converging ribs, which are comparatively long and continue onto the blade (55m long, ending 21mm from the blade edge). The other face appears to have had wider ribs and which are parallel to each other. Both faces are convex across their widths and lengths. The faces gradually converge and have no discernible blade facet. Although the surface survives well on one face, there are no discernible sharpening striations on the blade. The surface has a dark-brown patina, partially preserved with green corrosion and forming a raised ridge on one face, suggesting the point of contact with axe 3.



Axe 5 Type Breiddin The axe is complete (with a length of 96.9mm and a weight of 212.8g). The socket is sub-rectangular at the mouth (39.4mm x 32.2mm and 64.0mm deep), with straight sides gradually converging to its base. Three possible runner stubs are discernible on the mouth but are not certain. The axe has a collar moulding (14mm long) with a slight concavity along its length. The loop springs from just above the base of the moulding and is of irregular lozenge section (24mm long, 6.5mm wide, 4mm thick; with internal dimensions of 12.0mm long and 5.4mm high). The sides are gently concave, before diverging more sharply at the blade and produce a moderately expanded blade edge (45.8mm wide) which is distinctly straight. The sides have prominent casting seams, with some, neat finishing and fettling and seemingly deliberately leaving the seam as a regular moulding. Either side of the casting seam, the sides are slightly convex across their widths, producing a sub-rectangular body section, which is more comparatively angular. Both faces are decorated with three parallel ribs, descending from the base of the collar moulding (36mm - 40mm long). Both faces are gently convex across both their widths and lengths. The faces gradually converge and have no discernible blade facet. The surface has a dark-brown patina, with patches of surface loss on the both blades. There are a few striations running along the blade but not enough to convincingly suggest sharpening.
Notes: Formerly known as NMGW-C9E5A3, which was a duplicate ID caused by system error.
Subsequent action: Submitted for consideration as Treasure