TREASURE ANNU AL REPORT 2005/6 - Portable Antiquities Scheme

The lock-ring form is peculiar to Britain, Ireland and
France (although the French examples are rendered in
solid or sheet bronze, some covered with gold foil).
Hoards dominated by ornaments and fittings are not
particularly common in the British Late Bronze Age and
tend to be a feature of the north. The large hoard from
St Andrews, Fife, for example, contains several types in
common, namely ‘lock-rings’, annular rings, penannular
bracelets, pins and a bugle-shaped object, as well as
similar styles of socketed axe, chape, knife and razor
(Cowie, O’Connor and Proudfoot 1991).
Note: for publication of this hoard, see Needham
et al (1997).
Disposition: Museum of Antiquities, Newcastle.
S P NEEDHAM, S WORRELL & G VARNDELL
65. Copdock, suffolk: bronze Age
base-metal hoard (2006 T11)
Date: 1000–800 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr R Kittl while metal-detecting
in January 2006. Subsequent excavation by Suffolk
County Council Archaeology Service revealing a small
oval pit, and several remaining objects. At the pit
interface a very thin layer of dark brown material was
present, interpreted as the remains of a container or
protective layer of organic material.
Description: (note: weights included adhered soil;
sequence follows excavation report).
1 & 2. (nos. 4 & 5 in excavation report) Ingot
fragments. Weights: 48.7 & 49.8g.
3. Cauldron staple, fragment. L-shaped in profile with
slightly concave edge for attachment to vessel. Short,
horizontal strip, before an almost 90º change of angle.
A narrow strip of metal reinforces and forms a step on
the underside. The underside is as-cast with irregular
surfaces and edges due to untrimmed flashes and
miscasting. Width: 66.4mm; weight: 76.7g.
4. Socketed axehead, small and incomplete. Mouth
and upper body missing above loop. Pushed inwards at
break. Expanded blade, edge intact and developed blade
tip hollows. Length: 68.4mm; width of blade: 45.45mm.
5. Socketed axehead, fragment. Blade end. Expanded
blade, edge mostly intact, well-defined blade tip
hollows. Length: 38.8mm; width of blade: 54.8mm.
6–38. Ingot fragments, including 16 plano-convex edge
fragments, largest piece: 1059.6g;
total weight: 8.787kg.
39–41. Metalworking debris, fragments.
Total weight: 3.6g.
42–45. Ingot fragments, including 1 plano-convex edge
fragment. Total weight: 271.2g.
46. Leaf-shaped dagger, incomplete. Tip missing and
considerable damage to blade edges. Rectangularsectioned
hilt with two close-set circular perforations.
Longitudinal striations between blade edge and bevel.
Width of blade: 30.25mm; weight: 92.4g
47. Socketed axehead, South-eastern Class A1.
Complete. Expanded blade edge, developed blade tip
hollows. Vestiges of two casting jet stumps. Length:
89.6mm; width of blade: 48.75mm.
48. Socketed axehead, South-eastern Class A1.
Complete. Expanded blade edge, developed blade tip
hollows. Slight miscasting at mouth. Length: 102.4mm;
width of blade: 55.7mm.
49. Socketed axehead, South-eastern Class A1.
Complete. Expanded blade edge, developed blade tip
hollows. Horizontal striations close to blade edge.
Length: 98.2mm; width of blade: 50.6mm.
50–56. Ingot fragments, including 5 plano-convex edge
fragments. Total weight: 1585g.
Discussion: The complete socketed axes are Southeastern
class A1 axes (Needham 1990, 28) and the two
axe fragments show signs of having been deliberately
broken for inclusion as scrap metal. The fragment of
cauldron/bucket is a rare find. Cauldrons and buckets
are often difficult to date and mostly occur in hoards
(Pendleton 1999, 53). Excluding the cauldron/bucket
fragment, the components of the Copdock hoard are all
familiar from the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze
Age. The incomplete and deliberately fragmented
nature of much of the material and the high proportion
of raw metal ingot fragments identifies this is a
founder’s hoard.
Disposition: British Museum.
S WORRELL
66. Cornard, suffolk: Late bronze Age
base-metal hoard (2006 T67)
Date: 1000–800 BC
Discovery: Found by Mr M Matthews while metaldetecting
in February 2006; only 3 axes (18–20) were
removed from the base of the plough soil. Subsequent
excavation by Suffolk County Council Archaeological
Service retrieved all remaining objects from the plough
soil and revealed an irregular feature, perhaps a tree
bole, into which the hoard seems to have been placed.
Description: (note: sequence follows excavation report,
weights include soil).
1. (no. 2 in excavation report) Socketed axe, blade end.
Blade edge very worn and rounded, but only slightly
expanded. Slightly crushed at the break. Length: 61mm;
width of blade: 37mm; weight: 112g.
2. Socketed axe, South-eastern Class A1, small,
incomplete. Double mouth moulding. Expanded cutting
edge, one tip missing. Narrow band of horizontal
scratches and striation marks close to the blade edge.
Narrow loop. Length: 75mm; width of blade: 37.5mm;
weight: 140g.
3a. Socketed axe, fragment. South-eastern Class A1.
Mouth fragment, double mouth moulding. Prominent
casting flash. Length: 23mm; weight: 15g.
3b. Sword, fragment. End of sword hilt with two rivet
holes. Expanded terminal and slightly raised side-
flanges. Bent at break. Length: 67.5mm; weight: 40g.
4. Sword, fragment. Ewart Park type. Rounded midrib.
Longitudinal abrasive sharpening grooves. Edge bevel
present on one side on one surface only. Bent at one
break. Severe notches on edges and all blade edges
missing. Length: 43mm; weight: 28g.
5–10. 6 ingot fragments, including 3 plano-convex edge
fragments. Total weight: 616g.
11. Sword, Ewart Park type. Blade fragment. Upper
blade end, tip missing. Rounded midrib. No surviving
sharp edges. Bent at breaks giving an S-shaped side
view. Some rounded ‘hammer’ breakage marks. Some
longitudinal sharpening marks close to blade edge.
Similar to no. 4. Length: 133mm; weight: 110g.
12. Socketed axe, South-eastern Class A1. Double
mouth moulding. Almost complete except for a largish
fragment missing from the mouth. Slightly expanded
blade. Partially crushed body on one face. Large loop.
Blade has a small notch, possibly use damage. The
general expansion from mouth mouldings suggests a
possible late date. Use and sharpening scratches in a
number of directions. Length: 104mm; width of blade:
45mm; weight: 256g.
13. Socketed axe, Type Welby. Almost complete but
for one mouth fragment. Triple mouth moulding, loop
attached to lower moulding. Triple rib decoration on
body with two further ribs forming junction of faces
and sides. Very expanded cutting edge, well-developed
blade tip hollows. Large hammer marks on one side
beneath the loop. Use and sharpening striations in
various directions. Length: 95mm; blade width: 50.3mm;
weight: 247g.
14a. Socketed axe, South-eastern Class A1. Incomplete,
mouth and upper body intact, containing socketed
gouge (no. 14b). Double mouth moulding. Length:
55mm; weight: (incl. no. 14b): 166g.
14b. Socketed gouge, wedged into socket of no.
14a. Visible end of socket is incomplete. The furrow
protrudes from the broken end of the socketed axe,
edge of the furrow tip is chipped. Length: 73.5mm;
width of blade tip: 15mm.
15. Small socketed axe, blade end. Slightly expanded
cutting edge. Edge missing and lower blade severely
corroded. Length: 44mm; width of blade: 41.7mm;
weight: 71g.
16. Socketed axe, South-eastern Class A1. Incomplete.
Blade end and part of mouth on one face. Part of lower
mouth moulding on one face. Expanded cutting edge.
Blade edge mostly missing. Length: 90mm; width of
blade: 45mm; weight: 160g.
17. Socketed axe, incomplete. Blade end. Heavily
expanded cutting edge, well-developed blade tip
hollows. Blade edge completely missing. Surfaces
pushed in at the break. Loss of blade edge to corrosion.
Length: 54mm; width of blade: 43mm; weight: 77g.
18. Socketed axe, fragment. Blade end. Expanded
cutting edge, developed blade tip hollows. Blade edge
lost to severe corrosion. Horizontal scratches from resharpening
close to blade edge. Length: 34mm; width
of blade: 47mm; weight: 69g.
19. Socketed axe, South-eastern type. Complete. Triple
mouth moulding. The top is quite flat and there are the
vestiges of two casting jet stumps. Slightly expanded
blade, one blade tip missing but blade edge otherwise
intact. Striations, at right angles, limited to area of
damaged edge. Length: 88mm; width of blade: 41mm;
weight: 227g.
20a. Socketed axe, South-eastern Class D1. Complete.
Trumpet moulding with flat top. Expanded cutting
edge. Blade edge missing through corrosion. Internal
ribs. Object wedged into socket – see no. 20b. Some
of the facet (and mould lines) are raised ribs. Possibly
‘linear facetted’ axe making it potentially very late.
Casting flashes removed from lower blade end. There
are a variety of straight and curving edges, striations
formed by bright scratches into the patina. Length:
9.4mm, width of blade: 50mm; weight (including no.
20b): 202g.
20b. Copper or copper-alloy lump, probably ingot
fragment, jammed into socket of no. 20a.
Length: 20mm.
21. Sword, blade fragment. Probably from near tip of
blade, slight rounded midrib. Bent. Blade edges lost to
corrosion. Length: 51mm; weight: 27g.
22. Ingot fragment, plano-convex. Weight: 69g.
23. Small secondary flake with limited edge retouch/
use wear. Probably Bronze Age.
Discussion: Of particular interest is socketed axe no.
14a, whose lower blade was intentionally removed
and then a socketed gouge (no. 14b) was inserted into
the socket, before inclusion within the hoard. A similar
element of careful selection before deposition was
recently noted in the hoard from Crundale, Kent, in
which three objects were clamped to retain objects in
the sockets (Treasure Annual Report 2003, no. 15); see
also Royston area, Cambridgeshire (this volume, no. 51).
The components of the Cornard hoard are all familiar
from the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age.
Disposition: British Museum.
S WORRELL, C PENDLETON & J PLOUVIEZ
44 BRONZE AGE BRONZE AGE 45