File:Axe Hoard (FindID 496222-411525).tif

English: A dispersed Late Bronze Age hoard recovered initially through metal detecting on 24th March 2012, followed by a small scale excavation on the 27th March 2012 by Andrew Brown (Suffolk FLO) and Mark Sommers (SCCAS).

Metal detecting on the 24th of March produced a total of nine objects including the remains of seven socketed axes, one gouge and a fragment of copper-alloy ingot all dating to the Late Bronze Age.

Excavation on the 27th centred on the immediate area of the metal detected finds where there was the suggestion of a concentration of material in addition to objects still in situ. A 1m by 1.5m area was fully excavated to natural, which was reached at a depth of approximately 65cm. This produced an additional four objects consisting of one chisel, two fragmentary socketed axes and an incomplete hammer of Late Bronze Age date. A fragment of Prehistoric pottery and a flint core of Prehistoric date were also identified during the excavation, but their presence in disturbed ploughsoil makes it impossible to associate them with the larger group of metalwork. Two further fragmentary socketed axes and a fragment of copper-alloy ingot were recovered in proximity to the excavated area through metal detecting.

The total number of objects recovered through combined metal detecting and excavation to date stands at 16. All appear to be from within disturbed ploughsoil and dispersed horizontally across the field within an area of c.20m of the excavated area, the excavation revealing no evidence for in situ archaeology or any archaeological context for the objects.

Finds

1) SF1001 - A complete cast copper-alloy chisel of Late Bronze Age date. It measures 106.12mm in length, 46.69mm in width, 24.16mm in thickness and 180.85g in weight.

2) SF1002 - An incomplete cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. Probably deliberately broken in antiquity and possibly a join fragment with SF1003. It measures 45.56mm in length, 32.92mm in width, 16.08mm in thickness, and 53.47g in weight.

3) SF1003 - An incomplete cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. Probably deliberately broken in antiquity and possibly a join fragment with SF1002. It measures 35.99mm in length, 19.59mm in width, 14.16mm in thickness (including loop, 3.52mm at wall) and 23.90g in weight.

4) SF1004 - An incomplete cast copper-alloy hammer of Late Bronze Age date. It measures 58.29mm in length, 9.50mm in width, 8.70mm in thickness, 16.96mm in diameter and 27.83g in weight.

5) SF1006 - An incomplete cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. Probably deliberately broken in antiquity. The fragment measures 43.10mm in length, 30.26mm in width, 19.54mm in thickness (folded) and 57.63g in weight.

6) SF1007 - A fragment of cast copper-alloy ingot or 'cake'. It measures 52.71mm in length, 40.81mm in width, 28.33mm in thickness and 216.19g in weight.

7) SF1008 - An incomplete cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. Probably deliberately broken in antiquity. It measures 61.96mm in length, 43.38mm in width (including loop, 32.36mm excluding loop), 19.58mm in thickness and 120.30g in weight (with encrusted socket)

8) SF1010 - A complete, but small, cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. It measures 62.96mm in length, 42.24mm in width (at blade, 35.92mm at socket), 27.75mm in thickness (at socket), and 93.84g in weight.

9) SF1011 - A complete, but small, cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. It measures 76.41mm in length, 39.93mm in width (at blade, 35.35mm at socket), 34.93mm in thickness (at socket), and 153.61g in weight.

10) SF1012 - A complete, but small, cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. It measures 66.60mm in length, 41.84mm in width (at blade, 37.88mm at socket), 28.44mm in thickness (at socket), and 118.05g in weight (encrusted).

11) SF1013 - A complete, but small, cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. The socket deliberately flattened in antiquity and with a fragment from a secondary object stuck within the flattened socket. It measures 64.50mm in length, 39.07mm in width (at blade, 45.18mm at flattened socket), 15.19mm in thickness, and 96.16g in weight.

12) SF1014 - An incomplete cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. Probably deliberately broken in antiquity. It measures 55.42mm in length, 43.77mm in width (flattened), 5.65mm in thickness (at socket) and 50.63g in weight.

13) SF1015 - An incomplete cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. Probably deliberately broken in antiquity. It measures 30.18mm in length, 46.03mm in width, 13.58m in thickness and 62.71g in weight.

14) SF1016 - An incomplete cast copper-alloy socketed axe of Late Bronze Age date. Probably deliberately broken in antiquity. It measures 35.99mm in length, 22.75mm in width, 10.27mm in thickness and 29.70g in weight.

15) SF1017 - A complete cast copper-alloy gouge of Late Bronze Age date. It measures 83.85mm in length, 19.60mm in diameter (at socket), 16.92mm in width at blade, and 74.73g in weight.

16) SF1018 - A fragment of cast copper-alloy ingot or 'cake'. It measures 54.61mm in length, 35.70mm in width, 19.32mm in thickness and 90.91g in weight.

Discussion: This late Bronze Age hoard was found in close proximity to a previous Late Bronze Age hoard group recovered as a result of agricultural activity and metal detecting in the 1950s and 1970s on the same field. The earlier group numbers more than 44 objects in total (Suffolk HER), some of which are reportedly held by Ipswich Museum and partially published in 'The Searcher' magazine, c.1980.

The current hoard appears to share some similarities with the original hoard group, particularly through the presence of relatively small axes, however information supplied by both finder and landowner suggest that the two groups are separated by a distance of some 100m. The composition of this hoard, combining small axes, gouge, hammer and chisel, is perhaps indicative of a group of contemporary objects that may have been utilised in woodworking or similar activities. Their relative proximity to one another, spread horizontally with the ploughsoil and probably respecting recent agricultural usage of the field, combined with their distance from the earlier hoard group is suggestive of a discrete, dispersed hoard of Late Bronze Age date, c.1150-800 BC. Evidence for deliberate damage within antiquity, combined with the presence of copper-alloy ingot, is furthermore indicative of potential metalworking activity on the site, perhaps pointing to this group being a 'founders hoard'. As such these objects fulfil the requirements of the Treasure Act in that they are a base metal hoard of prehistoric date.