File:Bronze Age and Iron Age objects (FindID 434857).jpg

The finds included three Middle- Late Bronze Age objects: a gold lock-ring ring, a gold composite ring fragment and a copper alloy spear tip. However, the remaining thirteen objects date to the Iron Age, or later and include a silver torc fragment, a lump of silver, six copper-alloy fragments and five miniature bronze axe heads. They were buried 3-4 inches deep in cultivated land belonging to [redacted].

Description

1. Small gold-alloy pennanular lock-ring with composite face plates decorated with fine incised parallel lines. The width of this ribbon of perpendicular lines is 2.69mm wide and positioned centrally on both 6.22mm plate faces. The ring is bent out of its original C shape and the ends of the central tube, which would have been triangular in profile, are now distorted making it difficult to judge the edge shape. In one place the face-plate is separated from the central tube revealing part of the composite structure. There are numerous dents and scratches on the surface and the central tube is partly coated with dried earth. Max length: 19.37mm; max width: 18.27mm; width of face plate: 6.22mm; weight: 4g

2. Gold-alloy composite ring fragment comprising two elements made with thin c-sectioned gold strips soldered together. The fragment is bent and the ends distorted. The gold is light coloured and the surfaces are smooth except where the strips join. Length: 15.41mm; width: 9.27mm; weight: 2.0g

3. Copper-alloyspearhead tip with a pronounced midrib, light green patina some scratches and dents. Length: 50.12mm; weight: 14.6g

4. Silver-alloy torc fragment consisting of two short pieces of silver-alloy wire twisted together to form a strand that has been snipped at both ends. Length: 15.62; width: 3.69mm; weight: 1.8g

5. Lump of silver-alloy. Part of the surface is shiny and smooth and elsewhere it is rough and matt grey. Length: 12.67; width: 10.26mm; eight 4.0g

6. Copper-alloy fragment of binding clip or strip which is partly rolled up with a single segmentation indentation at one end of the outer surface. It is coloured grey green. Max length: 1mm; diameter: 6.39mm; thickness: 1.80mm; weight: 1.1g

7. Copper-alloy fragment of binding clip or strip which is partly rolled up with an indented segmentation mark at the centre of the external surface. The colour is grey green. Max length: 8.60mm; max. width: 7.31mm thickness: 0.62mm; weight:1.3g

8. Copper-alloy fragment which is possibly the front of a brooch. It is a flat, oval shape bent into an even curve along the short side. The concave surface is smooth while the convex one is divided centrally lengthways by an indented line. The colour is grey green. Max length: 27.23mm; max. width: 6.15mm thickness: 0.62mm; weight:1.4g

9. Copper-alloy fragment which is flat and roughly circular with uneven edges. The metal is smooth and coloured grey green. Max length: 20.74mm; max. width: 19.42mm; thickness: 1.84mm; weight:2.6g

10. Copper-alloy five sided fragment with a circular raised area on one side. It is coloured grey green. Max length: 10.69mm; thickness: 2.31mm; weight: 0.7g

11. Copper-alloy fragment which is rectangular and flat with a smooth surface and one rough. The colour is grey green. Max length: 23.74mm; width: 4.32mm; thickness: 2.7mm; weight: 1.8g

12. Copper-alloy miniature socketed axe which is wedge shaped in profile. There is a shallow hole in the butt end side to imitate a socket and also part of a circular pierced hole remains at the edge of one of the long sides (at the butt end). The condition is worn and the blade edge rounded or missing both corners. The surface of this matt, mid-grey object is dented and scratched. Length: 16.16mm; max width: 7.64mm: max. thickness: 4.21mm; weight:1.7g

13. Copper-alloy miniature socketed axe which is wedge shaped in profile. There is a shallow hole in the butt end side to imitate a socket and a circular hole pierces the axe through the centre of the butt end. The condition is worn and the mid-grey surface corroded green and brown in places. Length: 14.53mm; max width: 6.64mm: max. thickness: 2.95mm; weight:1.1g

14. Copper-alloy miniature socketed axe which is wedge shaped in profile. There is a deep oval hole in the butt end side to imitate a socket and also the remains of a relatively large pierced hole on one of the long sides. The blade ends are broken and worn and the sides dented and worn. The mid grey surface is corroded green and brown in places. Length: 25.79mm; max width: 10.32mm: max. thickness: 6.22mm; weight:5g

15. Copper-alloy miniature socketed axe which is wedge shaped in profile. There is a shallow hole in the butt end side to imitate a socket and a pierced hole on one of the long sides. The blade ends are broken and worn and the sides dented and worn. The matt grey surface is pitted and all the edges uneven with wear. Length: 20.96mm; max width: 5.35mm: max. thickness: 2.02mm; weight: 0.9g

16. Copper-alloy miniature socketed axe which is wedge shaped in profile and has an incised line decorating the butt end. There is a shallow hole in the side of this end to imitate a socket and a hole pierces one of the long sides. The patina is smooth and grey green and the blade ends appear to have been retouched. Length: 16.22mm; max width: 16.38mm: max. thickness: 2.39mm; weight:1.2g

Discussion

The earliest potential date for this assemblage is the gold composite ring fragment (no. 2) which are typically dated to the Middle Bronze Age Penard metalwork phase (c. 1300-1100BC) but may well have continued in circulation and use as a form into the following centuries. Similar examples have been found throughout southern England as in the Newchurch area of the Isle of Wight (Varndell 2004, 21, 229, Fig 4). The small gold lock-ring (no. 1) dates to Late Bronze Age Ewart Park metalwork phase (c. 1000-800 BC) and are typically found throughout Britain and Ireland (Eogan 1969). Although the small size is paralleled in southern and northern British groupings (see Eogan 1969, Figs. 3 and 4), the vertical incised decoration is unusual as such decoration tends to be concentric or consist of multiple decreasing circles. Composite rings are found singly, in hoards and at settlements. The copper-alloy spearhead tip is relatively undiagnostic beyond the Middle-Late Bronze Age (c. 1500-800 BC) date range.

Miniature socketed axes date from the late Bronze Age to the Late Roman period (see Kiernan 2009; Robinson 1995). These six examples most closely resemble Robinson's Type IV (miniature axes with vertical sides). In his survey of miniature axes from Wiltshire, Robinson (1995) identifies 18 examples belonging to Type IV. The vast majority of the Type IV examples identified by Robinson (1995), in his survey of miniature axes from Wiltshire date to the late Bronze Age, or possibly Iron Age.

The silver-alloy torc fragment and lump both date to the later Iron Age (late 2^nd C BC - mid-1^st C BC). Torc fragments and metal lumps were found in Hoard F from Snettisham, Norfolk (Stead 1991). The Alrewas, Staffordshire hoard also comprised of bits of torc (Hautenauve 2005: 255-6). The two copper-alloy strips are fragments from segmented binding clips, probably from a hide-shaped shield, or possibly a wooden vessel such as a tankard (see Parfitt, 1995: 68; fig. 22, 6 & 7). The binding strips that can be dated date to the second or first centuries BC (Parfitt 1995: 72). Similar clips from a hide-shaped shield were found in Hoard B/C at Snettisham, Norfolk (Clarke 1954: Plate XIII), so there is precedence for torcs and copper-alloy clips to be found together. The other possibly recognisable copper-alloy fragment possibly comprises a fragment of the bow of an Iron Age brooch.

In summary, two or more probably three separate groups of artefacts can be identified within this collection. The lock-ring, composite ring and spearhead fragment could belong together and date to 1000-800 BC. Similarly, the torc fragment, metal lump, clips and possible brooch fragment could also form a group dating to the last two centuries BC. There is precedence for copper-alloy clips and torc fragments to be found in the same deposit and both types of object share a similar date range. They therefore probably represent the remains of a hoard disturbed by agricultural activity. The miniature axes probably date to the later Bronze Age or possibly the Iron Age. They could therefore be grouped with the rest of the Bronze Age material, or possibly with the Iron Age objects.

Conclusion

The Iron Age objects - the torc fragment, metal lump, clip fragments and brooch fragment - are Treasure as they are over 300 years old and comprise more than 10% precious metal or were found with precious metal artefacts.

The Bronze Age objects - the lock-ring, composite ring and spearhead fragment are Treasure as they are over 300 years old and comprise more than 10% precious metal or were found with precious metal artefacts.

The miniature axes could have been deposited with the Bronze Age or Iron Age objects, although it is probably now impossible to be certain about this. Nevertheless, they represent a coherent group, they are made of base metal and are prehistoric in date. They therefore qualify as treasure in their own right under the 2002 Designation Order.

Bibliography

Eogan, G. 1969 'Lock-rings of the Late Bronze Age'. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol 67,Section C, 93-148

Hautenauve, H. 2005. Les torques d'or du second âge du fer en Europe: techniques, typologies et symbolic. Travaux du laboratoire anthropologies, préhistoire, protohistoire, quaternaire armoricans 44: 7-340.

Kiernan, P 2009 Miniature Votive Offerings in the Roman North-West. Verlag Franz Philipp, Wiesbaden.

Parfitt, K. 1995.Iron Age Burials from Mill Hill, Deal. British. Museum Press, London

Robinson, P. 1995. Miniature socketed bronze axes from Wiltshire. The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine 88: 60-68.

Stead, I. M. 1991. The Snettisham Treasure: excavations in 1990. Antiquity 65: 447-65.

Varndell, G. 2004 Treasure Annual Report 2004

Jody Joy (Curator of European Iron Age) 24.10.11

Ben Roberts (Curator of European Bronze Age)

Charlotte Veysey (volunteer)