ROMAN MINIATURE OBJECT

150

A Roman copper-alloy miniature axe.The object has been cast as one piece and survives in good condition. The wedge-shaped head has a flat top and a downward-curving, slightly concave underside, which creates a 'beard'. The 'socket' area projects above and below the rest of the head, the area behind it flaring into a butt with a vertical surface at the back. The projecting top of the socket has vertical sides; the flat upper surface of this area bears two longitudinal grooves and an opposing pair of wedge-shaped incisions, cut across the centre point of the two longer top edges. Immediately below this raised portion, two angled, parallel grooves extend across the vertical face of the axe, creating the impression of binding straps. The circular-sectioned shaft flares slightly, towards the bottom, where there is a moulded ring and, below this, a truncated-globular knob.Height: 32.2mm; length: 23mm; thickness: 9.4mm. Weight: 11.54g.A close parallel for this axe was found in a late 2nd to early 3rd century context at Baldock, Hertfordshire (Stead and Rigby 1986: 136/fig. 60, no. 378). The Baldock axe is categorised as a 'ritual model object' as, according to the authors, there is a likely association between miniature axes and Roman temple sites (ibid.).