ROMAN MINIATURE OBJECT

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An incomplete Roman (AD 1-410) copper alloy miniature object in the form of an Iron Age or Romano British socketed axehead, with a broken loop. It is of Robinson's Type I or II. The object measures 20.79mm in length, 17.08mm in max.width (width at loop), 10.55mm in max thickness ('socket' end) and weighs 8.16g.The 'socket' end is oval in cross-section (measuring 11.51x10.55mm) and uneven in shape - it is rather narrower at the loop end. The central rectangular 'socket' measures 8.44x4.48mm, narrowing at the centre to 3.90mm because the inside surface has a bulge at this point, semi-circular in cross-section. This is possibly the remains of a casting jet as it is familiar to those found on the mouths of Late Bronze Age Socketed Axeheads. The socket is 10.32mm deep. The loop extends in a C-shape to one side of the socket opening and is broken in the middle - the other end of it extends from the centre of one side of the object.The socket area, which takes up c.12mm of the length of the object, is rather bulbous compared to the narrower blade below. The blade when viewed in profile is triangular in cross-section and 4.22mm thick below the socket, narrowing to 1.57mm at the cutting edge.In shape, the axehead is parallel-sided at the socket-end, before flaring below to 16.67mm at the cutting edge, which is slightly curved. One face, close to the socket end, has a gash (probably recent-ish damage).Reference: Robinson 1995, Wiltshire Archaeology Magazine 88, p.60-68, cf.10, 13. Robinson dates the majority of the miniature axeheads to the Roman period, some being from Late Roman contexts. However some are known too from the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age.