ROMAN AXE

43

Roman votive axe; cast lead axehead of probable Roman date. The axe is of the perforated type which, at full size, would have had a haft fixed through the middle of it. This miniature copy in lead has an iron-rich substance in the perforation. The lead has a thick, even, white patina over its surface. It is likely that this miniature axehead had a votive function and similar items are known from Roman ritual contexts, although the iron in the hole is unusual.Length 20.9mm, width 8.4mm, thickness 7.7mm, weight 4.81gA similar tiny lead axehead is recorded on the database as SUR-56A8E5, although this has nothing blocking the hole and has therefore been recorded as a probable pendant.