ROMAN MINIATURE OBJECT

Unknown artist

An incomplete cast copper alloy miniature socketed axehead, possibly a votive model of probable Roman date. The axehead is broadly rectangular in plan, widening into a crescentic blade. The socketed butt is broken; it is not clear if there was a small loop on one side of the axe as is seen in other examples. Miniature axeheads are thought to be votive in nature and may have been worn as pendants or left at shrines; it is thought that votive models could take the place of or represent their full-size counterparts, especially with regard to sacrifices Similar objects have been recorded on the PAS database, see WILT-F7AB14, NARC-2A7713 and SF-631D32.