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Ribbed Socketed Axe - blade and lower body fragment (Find No.17)

Part of a hoard of 39 bronze fragments representing a minimum of 38 artefacts discovered in a field following agricultural drainage work. All of the artefacts were reported as being discovered within an area of 2.4m (8 feet) of each other, of each other and at approximate depths of 20-30cm (8-12 inches).

The patination of the objects is consistent with them having been buried in a peaty peaty deposit, which has been known to result in a brown or black patina (Fontijn 2002,40). The hoard findspot was near small watercourse. A search of the Historic Environment Record (www.archwilio.org.uk) revealed no Bronze Age features of sites in the adjacent fields.

Detailed Description; This is a blade and lower body fragment of a copper-alloy ribbed socketed axe. The sides are straight and near-parallel, leading towards a moderately expanded blade end with a curved cutting edge. Although now deformed, it is clear that the axe had a rectangular-shaped cross-section. The remains of three parallel longitudinal ribs can be seen on one face. The casting seams are visible down both sides as very slightly raised blunt ridges. Numerous fine striations can be seen running parallel to the blade and appear within the patinated surface, indicating that the axe was sharpened during antiquity. Towards the blade end, the surface of the axe is uneven and contains irregularly shaped puts, possibly caused as the molten bronze cooled during the casting of the axe. The upper break edges are irregular and within the patinated surface, suggesting that the axe was broken in antiquity. The upper break edges are bent inwards, partly closing the central aperture of the axe, likely caused when the axe was broken in antiquity.

The axe has a brown patina. Small patches of green patina are visible on one face, towards the balde end. A small patch of green corrosion product is visible on one face, between the ribs and cutting edge.