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Description: | Description: Following metal detecting and excavation which recovered a hoard of 16 objects in March 2012 recorded under PAS reference SF-48BA44, further metal detecting has recovered eight additional objects.Objects:Complete Socketed AxeDescription: Complete cast copper-alloy looped socketed axe of South Eastern Type. The axe is plain with what looks like a single mouth moulding on one side and a double mouth moulding on the other side. It has a straight or possibly slightly hour-glass shaped outline. The blade looks slightly splayed and shows some signs of use and re-sharpening. The socket deliberately partially flattened in antiquity. There are cracks on both sides of the socket, probably sustained during imapact.Measurements: Length: 93.02mm, Width (blade): 45.60mm, Width (socket): 47.69mm, Thickness: 26.87mm, Weight: 253.72gIncomplete Socketed AxeDescription: Lower body of cast copper-alloy socketed axe of South Eastern Type. Probably deliberately broken in antiquity. Only the blade and part of the body remain. The blade is hardly splayed and the axe may have had almost parallel sides. The cutting edge shows signs of use and re-sharpening.Measurements: Length: 56.55mm, Width: 44.36mm, Thickness: 15.60mm, Weight: 99.75g.Socketed Axe Blade FragmentDescription: Large blade fragment of a cast copper-alloy socketed axe of South Eastern Type. Probably deliberately broken in antiquity. Only the blade and a small part of the lower body remain. The blade is somewhat splayed and the axe may have had almost parallel sides. The cutting edge shows signs of use and re-sharpening.Measurements: Length: 48.84mm, Width: 44.19mm, Thickness: 13.24mm, Weight: 99.80g.Spearhead FragmentDescription: Large blade fragment of cast copper-alloy socketed leaf-shaped spearhead dating from the Late Bronze Age. Probably broken in antiquity as it displays deliberate hammer marks on both surfaces. It has a central rib flanked by parallel grooves.Measurements: Length: 39.17mm, Width: 36.53mm, Thickness: 11.30mm, Weight: 31.24g.IngotDescription: A fragment of cast copper-alloy ingot or 'cake'.Measurements: Length: 45.73mm, Width: 38.58mm, Thickness: 24.18mm, Weight: 169.77g.IngotDescription: A fragment of cast copper-alloy ingot or 'cake'. It is very dense and a relatively regular plan-convex shape.Measurements: Length: 84.12mm, Width: 65.68mm, Thickness: 27.02mm, Weight: 320.0g.Metalworking debrisDescription: A fragment of copper-alloy metalworking debris.Measurements: Length: 30.82mm, Width: 27.28mm, Thickness: 7.67mm, Weight: 11.47g.Metalworking debrisDescription: A fragment of copper-alloy metalworking debris.Measurements: Length: 27.22mm, Width: 13.12mm, Thickness: 4.65mm, Weight: 3.56g.Discussion: The Late Bronze Age hoard from East Bergholt was discovered very close to the findspot of 16 Late Bronze Age objects found in March 2012 and recorded under PAS reference SF-48BA44 (2012T352). The larger deposit (2012T352) was found in close proximity to a previous Late Bronze Age hoard group recovered as a result of agricultural activity and metal detecting in the 1950s and 1970s on the same field. The earlier group numbers more than 44 objects in total (Suffolk HER), some of which are reportedly held by Ipswich Museum and partially published in 'The Searcher' magazine, c.1980.The Addendum material to 2012T352, given the running Treasure number 2012T611, comprises of 8 objects: one complete socketed axe, one lower half of a socketed axe, a socketed axe blade fragment, a spearhead blade fragment, two ingots and two small pieces of metalworking debris. All artefacts are made from copper alloy and are part of the Late Bronze Age Ewart Park metalwork assemblage, dating from c. 950-850BC. The axes are undecorated and probably of South-Eastern Type. This type typically has parallel or hour-glass shaped sides and a single or thinner double-mouth moulding. The blades are narrow and are not widely splayed. The spearhead fragment probably comes from an undecorated Late Bronze Age pegged leaf-shaped specimen which is not an uncommon addition to Late Bronze Age hoard. Copper-alloy cakes/ingots or fragments of ingots/cakes as well as smaller pieces of metal-working debris are also not uncommon finds amongst Late Bronze Age metalwork hoards. These hoards are especially common in East Anglia and the South East that is in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent. They often include damaged or scrapped artefacts with clear signs of deliberate damage which may have been part of the breaking-up process to get smaller pieces ready for recycling and recasting.Conclusion: This Addendum to the previous hoard found at East Bergholt comprises of 10 objects which are all part of the Ewart Park metalwork assemblage, dating from the Late Bronze Age, that is c. 950-850BC.Thus, in light of the association with the previous assemblage as well as containing more than two objects of prehistoric date, this group qualifies as Treasure under the Treasure (Designation) Order 2002 which stipulates that any group of two or more metallic objects of any composition of any prehistoric date that come from the same find and found after 1 January 2003, qualify as Treasure under the Treasure Act 1996.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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