BRONZE AGE MINIATURE OBJECT

-1150

Late Bronze Age to Roman copper alloy miniature socketed axehead of Robinson's type I (Robinson, Wiltshire Archaeology Magazine 1995, p.60) with concave sides. It measures 26.69mm in length and has a cutting edge max. 15.35mm wide (max width). The narrowest part (at the centre) is 11.28mm wide. It weighs 12.39g. The axehead is thinnest at the blade end (3.03mm thick) expanding over the length to 12.31mm at the mouth, which is 13.62mm wide. The socket measures 7.87x6.51mm and is 8.86mm deep. The loop is cast to the side (and not part of the body of the axe) and is C-shaped (12.58x6.5mm) with a piercing 3.19mm in diameter.The surface of the miniature axe is heavily pitted. The dating of miniature axeheads is from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman period, although they are more common from the Roman period. Their function is probably as an amulet or votive. This example is rather more faithful to the Late Bronze Age socketed axehead than many examples are. It is particularly similar to axes of the Ewart Park and Llyn Fawr phases.