UNKNOWN MINIATURE OBJECT

43

A complete lead alloy miniature axe of Roman to Post-Medieval date. The axe is wedge shaped with an ovate perforation at the wider end. It is undecorated.The metal has a mid-greyish-white patina and is worn. The axe is 24.4mm long, 9.9mm wide, 7.4mm thick and weighs 10.1g.Lead axes are common finds from man periods of history. They are frequently found as votive offerings from religious shrines and graves in the Roman period though also occur as decorative objects and toys in the medieval and post-medieval periods.Due to a lack contextual evidence and of any diagnostic detail on this example it is not possible to date anymore securely. A similar object however has been recorded on the PAS database as HESH-085706 in which Geoff Egan (PAS National Finds Advisor) suggests that "there are several of these plain axes known, both here (UK) and more in Scandinavia/the Baltic. It is possible this tool type was in some way analogous with the more common decorated ones, which were miniature weapons of combat, complete with wooden shafts (and which tend to have been published along with pilgrim badges). The decorative ones perhaps acted as favours during tournaments. They were popular in several countries from at least the C13th to the C16th, possibly going back much further, but nothing more specific has yet emerged".