TREASURE ANNU AL REPORT 2005/6 - Portable Antiquities Scheme

126. Spearhead, large fragment, probably leaf-shaped
with solid wings; length: 48mm.
127/128. Spearheads, upper half of blade with wings;
lengths: 64 & 60mm.
129/130. Spearhead socket fragments, wood inside;
lengths: 23 & 40mm.
131–134. Probable ferrules, tubular fragments, one end
closed on one, wood inside each socket;
lengths: 70–34mm.
Further organic material: 3–4 large pieces of wood,
the largest 160 x 20 x 30mm. Unlikely to be part of
hilt or similar, but possibly wood from inside of hollow
spearhead or part of container.
Description of addendum material:
135. Spearhead, fragment from near tip, tip itself
missing. Solid wings, circular socket and well-defined
midrib with thinner, decorative ribs running alongside it.
Edges bevelled, showing some wear; length: 31mm.
136. Spearhead, fragment of upper part of wing, broken
at socket. Solid wing, circular socket and well-defined
midrib. Edges bevelled, showing some wear;
length: 57mm.
137. Spearhead, small blade fragment, broken at socket.
Decorative rib alongside midrib. Bevelled edge that
retains much of its sharpness; length: 20mm.
138. Spearhead, very small tip fragment, extremely
worn; length: 13mm.
139. Spearhead, fragment of upper part of wing, broken
at socket. Solid wing, circular socket, edges bevelled;
length: 48mm.
140. Spearhead, long, narrow fragment from near tip,
tip missing. Defined midrib, solid wings, sharp edges;
length: 39mm.
141. Spearhead, small fragment of hollow-cast midrib/
blade intersection; length: 25mm.
142. Small fragment, possibly of hollow-cast spearhead;
length: 23mm.
143. Spearhead, small fragment of socket with tiny,
copper-alloy sheet flakes adhering to the inside;
length: 27mm.
144. Spearhead, small fragment of hollow-cast midrib/
blade intersection; length: 21mm.
145. Spearhead, very small fragment of hollow-cast
midrib/blade intersection; length: 25mm.
146/147. Spearhead, two tip fragments. Solid wings,
well defined midribs; lengths: 68 & 22mm.
148. Spearhead, tip fragment. Hollow wings, welldefined
midrib. One decorative rib on either side of the
midrib; length: 32mm.
149. Long, narrow copper-alloy fragment, unidentified;
length: 42mm.
150. Sword, lower part of hilt and large part of blade.
Original edges only partly present. No defined midrib.
Shape of shoulders and hilt uncertain. Fragment very
worn; length:17.6mm.
151/152. Sword, two small blade fragments; lengths:
18 & 26mm.
153-156. Ferrule fragments, upper and lower ends
missing; lengths: 84–32mm.
157. Ring fragment, hollow-cast, possibly bent
spearhead socket. Possible remains of half a rivet hole;
length: 42mm.
158. Ring, solid with cracks in surface, approx. 10mm
missing; diameter: 32-41mm.
159. Large body fragment of a small pointed tool,
possibly an awl. One half has circular, the other square
cross-section and both ends tapering to a point;
length: 30mm.
160. Possible small fragment of a thick-walled ceramic
vessel; length: 34mm.
Discussion: Late Bronze Age metalwork finds this
large are not especially common in Lincolnshire. This
group consists of spearhead and ferrule fragments,
but also includes sword, awl and ring fragments. All
the artefacts date from the Wilburton/early Ewart
Park phase of the Late Bronze Age and are part of the
‘Blackmoor’ metalwork assemblage dated as above.
The object types found in this hoard are consistent
with the contents of other Late Bronze Age hoards
found in the northern Midlands and the North East,
although their fragmentary state is noteworthy. Many
artefacts also show signs of heavy wear and breakage
for inclusion as scrap metal. It is likely that they were
collected with other surplus bronze to form a metal
resource for recycling, a common phenomenon at
this time.
Considering the immediate topographical data, the
Tattershall hoard is likely to have been a watery deposit
made along the limits of a tidal inlet, in which case
its votive significance cannot be overlooked. What is
furthermore significant is that the hoard contains no
axes. Distribution plots of contemporary metalwork
in the Witham Valley curiously reflect the pattern of
the hoard; spears form the majority of the stray finds
whereas axes are notably rare. However, on face value
it would appear that the items selected for hoarding
were collected from local reserves rather than being
imported from other regions. Although the items were
said to have been found in three individual caches,
the similarity of object types and breakage suggests
that the artefacts were probably dispersed due to the
actions of the plough.
Disposition: Lincoln Museum hopes to acquire.
D BRUNS & A DAUBNEY
50. buckinghamshire area: Late bronze Age
base-metal objects (2005 T377)
Date: 1000–800 BC
Discovery: Found while metal-detecting and
subsequently sold abroad on eBay; reported by the
buyer, Mr J Zuiderwijk.
Description:
1. Incomplete end-winged axe. The butt and blade are
incomplete, the wings and loop are intact.
Length: 77.9mm.
2. Small socketed axe, almost complete. Plain. Single
mouth moulding. Casting flashes intact. Expanded
blade, one blade tip is damaged. Short ribs extend on
the internal surfaces of each face. The blade edge is
missing due to corrosion and the surfaces of each face
are pitted. Length: 79.6mm, blade width: 40.35mm.
3. Socketed axe, incomplete. Missing the mouth, part of
each side and face and the loop. Expanded blade edge.
At the break the socket is squashed. Length: 81.2mm,
blade width: 45.3mm.
4. Incomplete small socketed axe. Lower blade end
fragment, missing the mouth, loop and part of the
body. Expanded blade. Length: 52.6mm.
5. Incomplete socketed axe, South-eastern type. The
haft end, the loop and approximately half of the body
are intact. Double mouth moulding. Each face has been
squashed towards the centre at the mouth and one
side is cracked. Hammer marks on one face.
Length: 55.2mm.
6. Fragment, socketed axe. Haft end, part of one
face, one side and the loop are intact. Double mouth
moulding, although the lower moulding is very shallow.
Length: 34.3mm
7. Fragment, socketed axe. Haft end. Double mouth
moulding, although the lower moulding is very shallow.
Length: 33mm.
8. Fragment, socketed axe. Lower blade end, part of one
side and both faces. Both faces show signs of damage
before deposition. Length: 50.1mm.
9. Incomplete socketed axe. Lower blade end. The
expanded blade is intact. Length: 29.5mm.
10. Incomplete, small socketed axe/chisel. Lower blade
end, expanded blade. Length: 20.9mm.
11. Convex body fragment, possibly from a vessel.
Not closely datable. Dimensions: 45.4 x 24.5mm.
12. Ingot fragment, possibly plano-convex.
Dimensions: 36.35 x 28.55mm.
13. Possible ingot fragment, plano-convex.
Dimensions: 31.5 x 26.1mm.
14. Fragment, possible casting waste. Relatively flat,
one rounded outer edge intact. Dimensions:
28.3 x 26.9mm.
15. Fragment, possible casting waste. Reasonably flat,
one straight edge. Length: 21.4mm.
Discussion: Twelve of this group can confidently be
dated to the Ewart Park phase, three objects (nos. 11,
14–15) are not fragments of recognisable artefact
forms, although it is likely that they are contemporary
with the other artefacts.
Although nos. 6–7 do not join, they are likely to be
fragments from the same socketed axe. The axes show
signs of heavy wear and use and some have been
intentionally fragmented, which suggests that this
material may be interpreted as scrap. The hoarding
of metalwork in the late Bronze Age was not an
uncommon phenomenon in the south-east of Britain.
Although such hoards do occur in central southern
England, they are very much less common. A small
number of hoards are known from Buckinghamshire,
all of which consist of a relatively small number of
artefacts; this hoard therefore represents a valuable
addition to the Buckinghamshire corpus.
Disposition: Declared Treasure at inquest and
generously donated by the buyer to Buckinghamshire
County Museum.
S WORRELL
51. Royston area, Cambridgeshire: Late bronze Age
spearhead with associated fragments (2006 T10)
Date: 1000–800 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr K Mason while metaldetecting
in December 2005. Nos. 2, 3 & 4 had been
inserted into the socket of the spearhead (no. 1) before
deposition.
Description:
1. Complete copper-alloy socketed spearhead. Flameshaped
blade, edges intact. Circular perforation on each
side of socket, mid-way down shaft. Below the rivet
holes there are three bands of three or four concentric
incised lines. Above each of these bands, are a series
of evenly-spaced motifs made up of either 3–4 short
horizontal or vertical lines (horizontal above the upper
band and vertical above the lower two bands). Length:
132.25mm; width of blade: 30.8mm; weight: 81.1g.
2. Socketed gouge, fragment. Collar with three moulded
ridges, the lower two of which are decorated with
stamped ‘C’ and inverted ‘C’ motifs. There is a groove
either side of the central ridge, decorated with three
transverse incised lines. Length: 29.95mm; weight: 8.3g.
3. Pocket type chape, fragment. Part of one straight
face with narrow beading at mouth. Length: 18.55mm;
weight: 1.4g.
4. Fragment, probably socketed axehead. Straightwalled
with part of one face and one side (corner).
Length: 28.7mm; weight: 7.1g.
Discussion: This small hoard is interesting as the
artefacts, where identifiable, are unusual and two are
heavily decorated. The objects were also carefully
selected before insertion into the socketed spearhead,
an apparently uncommon practice that has not
previously been widely identified.
Late Bronze Age spearheads with flame-shaped
blades often have decoration, but the socketed gouge
fragment is unusual in that it is decorated both with
32 BRONZE AGE BRONZE AGE 33