File:Bronze Age socketed axe fragment (FindID 1011719-1117630).jpg

The museum entry documentation lists: 3 sword fragments, 1 pointed tool, 1 sickle, 2 chisels or gouges, 2 socketed axeheads, 4 fragments of socketed axeheads, 2 spears + 1 spearhead found shortly afterwards by Mr Lemand, 1 curved knife, 4 copper alloy fragments, 4 iron objects which may coincidentally lie within the same area.

The objects were initially compared to those reported by Peter Davey in his 1970 dissertation Later Bronze Age Metalwork from Lincolnshire, dissertation presented for the degree of Batchelor of Philosophy by Peter Davey. University of Liverpool. May 1970 (bound museum copy). The range of objects nods to the gamut of castes, classes and occupations, and may therefore illustrate a constructed view of contemporary society. They represent the activity of woodworkers engaged on complex projects most thoroughly; of leatherworkers, and, perhaps by extension, stock raising; of either priests, arable farmers or reed-cutters, depending on how a copper alloy sickle might be interpreted; of metalworkers by necessity; perhaps of a hairdresser or groom; and certainly of warriors. The contribution of the latter class was represented by sword fragments, perhaps of varied vintage; most objects associated with other occupations appear to have been deposited in working order.

1: Copper alloy cast socketed point. A socketed tubular object, gently tapered from the slightly thickened or expanded circular mouth of its socket to achieve a flattened diameter of 15-16.5mm at the springing of its lentoid ‘blade’, where it is broadest at the sides of the latter. The diminution of thickness between socket and ‘blade’ is 12.5mm in length. The ‘blade’ is flattened thereafter and slightly expanded at its mid-point, its sides converging thereafter towards a pointed end. It has flat sides along its entire length, and is lightly dished at its mid-part when viewed in profile. Found by Eric Lemand about 50m from the main concentration of finds and received on 19 July 2020, by which time earth had been removed from the socket. A parallel has not been encountered as an illustration in Davey (1970). The blunt sides to the ‘blade’ forbid its identification as a spear head.

Length (overall): 118mm, Diameter (at mouth of socket): 19.2mm, Thickness (at socket wall): 2.2mm, Depth of socket: 43.3mm, Length (of ‘blade’): 72mm, Width (of ‘blade’): 18.3mm, Thickness (of ‘blade’ at its end): 5.6mm, Weight: 76.54gms

2: Copper alloy cast socketed point. A socketed tubular object, gently tapered from the thickened or slightly expanded circular mouth of its socket to achieve a flattened diameter of 15.0-13.6mm at the springing of its lentoid ‘blade’, where it is broadest at the sides of the latter. The diminution of thickness between socket and ‘blade’ is c.16mm in length. The ‘blade’ is flattened thereafter and slightly expanded at its mid-point, its sides converging thereafter towards a pointed end. It has flat sides along its entire length, and is thickest at its end. Socket filled with earth. A parallel has not been encountered as an illustration in Davey (1970). The blunt sides to the ‘blade’ forbid its identification as a spear head.

Length (overall): 116mm, Diameter (at mouth of socket): 16.9mm, Thickness (at socket wall): 2.2-2.4mm, Length (of ‘blade): 71.3mm, Width (of ‘blade’): 16mm, Thickness (of ‘blade’ at its end): 5.7mm, Weight (with soil-filled socket): 71.76gms

3: Copper alloy socketed axe, with a rectangular copper alloy object (length 23mm, width 18mm and thickness 6mm) tucked within its socket and lying flush against one of its broader sides towards its base. The socket is of a sub-rectangular form with slightly bowed sides (internally measuring 29.3mm x 28.4mm; externally 41.3mm x 40.4mm). It is surrounded by a broad (9.5mm) expanded moulded rib of sub-triangular section. A lesser horizontal rib 8mm below its crest marks the springing of a single loop (length 19.6mm, width 8.6mm and projecting height 7.7mm). It also marks the origin of a pair of moulded ribs of length 43mm on either side face, and of a ribbed moulding of similar length along each of the arises between the sides and upper and lower surfaces. A mould line passes along the upper and lower sides from the midpoint of the socket mouth, across the site of the subsidiary moulding, and runs centrally along the upper and lower sides of the axe, losing clear definition 10mm from the cutting edge. It is also lost from the loop. The blade of the axe is lightly flared from the ends of the longitudinal mouldings, and diminishes in its thickness towards a crescentic cutting edge, where it exhibits a triangular profile. Three chips appear along the cutting edge. With soil in dirty cloth (unexamined) removed from the socket by the finder’s wife. Davey (1970, p.266-7, fig. 1) presents similar objects as Lincolnshire socketed axes (long bodies, vertical ribs),

citing examples from Louth, Billinghay, Fiskerton, Haxey, Cadney, Brigg, Tattershall and East Ferry, though most of these appear to have more rounded socket mouths and shorter and less well-defined moulded ribs.

Length (overall): 105mm, Width (at cutting edge): 51.7mm, Depth of socket: 56.8mm, Thickness (wall, at socket mouth): 6-8.8mm, Length (of blade): 45.9mm, Weight (axe head with insert): c.370gms (weighed on postal scales)

4: Copper alloy cast socketed axe, with an irregular sub-triangular copper alloy object (length 14mm, width ?13mm and thickness ?5mm) lying wedged at an angle into its base. The socket mouth is rounded (internally 29.4mm x 27mm, externally 38mm x 36.4mm) and flared for a length of 9mm, the expansion terminating where six longitudinal facets begin. A loop (length 24.6mm, width at base 9.6mm and projecting height 9.9mm, slightly diminished [by c.1mm] at its ridged crest) springs from one side at a distance of 10.5mm from the socket mouth. The body of the axe is facetted, with three flat facets on either side face and a single facet on its upper and lower sides, all save the central facet on either side diminishing in width towards the crescentic cutting edge. The cutting edge is lightly indented by a series of 7 elongated chips. Below encrusting soil, the six faces all appear smoothed or polished and the ridged top of the loop provides the only trace of a feature readable as a mould line. Davey (1970, p.274-275, fig. 5) presents similar axes as Faceted socketed axes (long) from hoards at Branston, Caythorpe, Fiskerton, Haxey and ?Roxby, with individual examples from Branston Heath, Lincoln, Tetford and West Keal. These all have a moulded rib between socket mouth and the body of the axe, a feature not discernible here.

Length (overall): 109mm, Width (at cutting edge): 50.5mm, Depth of socket: 76.8mm, Thickness (wall, at socket mouth): 4.9-5.1mm, Length (of blade): c.56mm, Weight (axe head with inset): c.210gms (weighed on postal scales)

5: Copper alloy cast socketed axe fragment. Curved blade and jaggedly broken mid-part of the blade of a faceted axe with a crescentic cutting edge whose ends are sharply everted from the lower part of the blade. The lower part of the socket is of sub-rectangular form (23.5mm x 9.3mm) with its longer sides flat and the shorter rounded. There are three flat facets on either side, the central being the broader, and a single facet on the upper and lower sides. The narrower facets diminish in their width towards the cutting edge while the larger central side facet expands to form its opposed flat sides. One side of the remaining socket, where the greater part is lost, is bent inwards. The surface of metal, both internal and external, is paler and more corroded than is the case with the more complete of the accompanying objects. Of the long faceted axes considered by Davey (op. cit.), only no. 3, from the Caythorpe hoard, exhibits such an abrupt expansion of the cutting edge, and that more markedly on one side. The blade form also resembles that of a faceted axe from Grosneuhausen (ibid. p.278-279, no. 9, citing Sprockhoff 1956, band. 1, abb. 17, no. 10).

Length (overall): 68.8mm, Width (at cutting edge): 52.4mm, Depth of socket (remaining): c.35mm, Thickness (wall, closest survival to butt end): 4.1mm, Length (of blade): 23.2mm, Weight (with trapped soil): 103.49gms

6: Copper alloy cast socketed axe fragment, comprising about between one third and one quarter of the rounded socket mouth from a small and possibly faceted axe, of estimated external diameter c.32mm. The socket mouth has an expanded rim whose top lies 6.6mm above a moulded circumferential rib of width 2mm. Thereafter, a slight dishing of the external surface may indicate the upper ends of three longitudinal facets, of up to 8.5mm in width. The inner surface of the socket is smooth. The three broken fracture surfaces appear crumbed where they have broken, probably in antiquity.

Overall length (or known depth of socket): 24.1mm, Width: 23.7mm, Thickness (at socket mouth): 4.6mm, Weight: 12.07gms

7: Copper alloy cast socketed axe fragment. Small irregular fragment from one edge of the cutting edge and blade of a socketed axe, with the triangular base of the socket (remaining length 24.7mm) exposed within. A flat upper or lower surface bears a longitudinal mould line which is discernible along the middle of its narrowing surface and up to the surviving end of a crescentic cutting edge. Both flat sides of the blade are partially preserved adjacent to one end of the cutting edge. The projection of the remaining end of the cutting edge presents a smooth curve from the top or bottom face of the axe over a length of 21mm. A single deep nick in the cutting edge might represent damage severe enough to have occasioned breakage. Both the fracture and internal socket surfaces present a granular or crumbed appearance, probably indicating damage which occurred in antiquity.

Length (overall): 38.1mm, Width (overall): 17.3mm, Thickness (side wall of blade): 3.4mm, Length (of blade): c.25mm, Weight: 26.55gms

8: Copper alloy cast socketed axe fragment. Small fragment from one flattened side of a socket of possibly originally sub-rectangular form. The expanded moulded mouth of the socket exhibits a sub-triangular section and a maximum thickness of 5.4mm. It is possible that one worn or ill-defined longitudinal ridge may pass along the flat external surface – this is more readily felt than observed - and there was perhaps another ridge along an adjacent aris. The inner surface of the socket wall is smooth. That edge next to the putative aris has a semi-circular hollow and a locally thinned wall with smoothed edge, which may point to a casting flaw, though this is flanked by crumbed fracture surfaces. The surface of the longer curving broken edge of this sub-triangular fragment is also crumbed, a feature which may suggest a break incurred in antiquity.

Length (overall): 34.9mm, Width (overall): 29.3mm, Thickness (at socket mouth): 5.4mm, Weight: 16.78gms

9: Copper alloy cast sickle. Lunate flat-sided blade with a rounded back along its convex side and a sharp cutting edge along its concave side. The tip of the blade is straight and set at c.45 degrees to its back; the haft end is expanded and rounded. Both the cutting edge and the straight angled end of the blade appear thinned by sharpening to triangular section. A triangular-section transverse ridge or stop appears on either side of the blade towards its expanded curved end, and runs at an acute angle relative to the concave cutting edge. A drilled hole, lightly countersunk on both sides (of overall diameter 5.7mm with an aperture of diameter 3.3mm), appears 15.5mm beyond the moulded rib and 12mm from the curved end. The surface along the edge of the handle end differs from both the rounded back of the blade and its sharpened cutting edge, with a ridge along its sides, hammered flat, perhaps by two sharp blows, at its extreme end. This ridge may represent a mould line, a feature appearing nowhere else on the object. A pair of light scratches of length c.13mm appears towards the end of the blade on one side and might represent ancient damage, while thin patches of a pale green corrosion product appear only on its other side, and may arise from its circumstances of deposition. The blade is very slightly bent towards its tip, and this may coincide with fresher damage to the cutting edge, which is perhaps recent damage. Davey presents two sickles from Lincolnshire (ibid. p.247-249and suggests an origin for these as Continental imports dateable to between 1100 and 700 BC. When the Horncastle sickle is placed over Davey’s 1:1 illustrations, its blade up to the ridge or stop equals the entire length of his illustrated objects. The first of these has a ridge along the back of its blade while the other has a recurved flame-like tip; both may have a large hole to assist hafting at their wider ends, but neither provides a closer parallel.

Length (overall): 171mm, Width (at haft): 35.5mm, (blade): 26.6mm, Length (of blade): 138mm, Thickness (at ridge or stop): 7.3mm, (midpoint of blade): 4.4mm, (at haft): 3.7mm, Weight: 119.71gms

10: Copper alloy cast socketed spokeshave. A tapered tubular socket with a circular plain mouth (of diameter 25.7mm externally and 20mm internally) narrows slightly for a length of 50mm from its mouth, and is thereafter flattened to a solid lentoid section. It was then bent into a hooked form as appears in profile, approximately from the midpoint of the blade and at approximately 90 degrees to the socket. Opposed drilled holes of diameter 5.7mm are set 9.9mm above the socket mouth, and would permit a pin to reinforce the hafting of the tool. Both sides of the blade may have served as cutting edges, and both are intermittently abraded, most markedly near their mid-points. Davey (op cit.) illustrates no parallel for this object, which might have served for the finishing of spoked wheels, weapon or tool shafts, or furniture, and whose use may imply the more complex composite construction of wooden objects which it was used to work on.

Length (overall): 109mm, Diameter (socket): 25.7mm, Thickness (socket wall): 2-2.5mm, Width (at mid-point of blade): 28.6mm, Length (blade, as found): 43.5mm, Thickness (blade, at mid-point): 3.6mm, Weight: 131.57gms (with earth-filled socket).

11: Copper alloy cast socketed gouge. A plain tubular socket with a circular mouth (of external diameter 17.2mm and wall thickness 1.8-2.1mm) tapers towards a concave U-section tip or blade, a feature developed from 16mm below the socket mouth, where it begins as a light groove and progressively deepens towards the U-shaped blade at its tip, all presumably features defined by casting. At its tip the object has a notional diameter of 14.3mm. A light powdery covering of corrosion appears overall, with some adherent sand, though is reduced or absent from c.40mm above the working end. The socket and working end were and remain filled with sandy soil. The gouge is longer and thinner than the four Lincolnshire gouges known to Davey, and lacks the slightly flared socket mouth which was a feature of all his examples. An entirely plain surface and an evenly tapered form is a feature of his gouges from Kirton in Lindsey and ‘Lincolnshire’, and of a parallel cited from Thorndon (op. cit., p.310-311, nos 2 and 4; p.312-313, no. 7).

Length (overall): 117mm, Diameter: 17.2mm, Thickness (wall of socket): 2.1mm, Weight: 89.84gms

12: Copper alloy cast socketed gouge. A plain tubular socket whose wall is markedly thickened where it aligns with the bladed tip at the other end. The external diameter of the socket is 21.7mm and its internal diameter 16.6mm. The socket narrows gently for a length of 18.7mm from its mouth before flaring gently outwards, a change which coincides with the start of an expanding U-profile slot which is carried for 54.5mm up to the curved cutting edge, which achieves a width of 23.6mm at its end. This cutting edge remains sharp. The socket is filled with sandy soil, and thin limited patches of pale green corrosion appear mainly near the other, working, end. The flared socket mouth is more typical of the range of plain gouges presented by Davey (ibid. above).

Length (overall): 72mm, Diameter (at socket mouth): 21.7mm, Thickness (at socket mouth): 1.8-3.1mm, Length (cutting edge): 56mm, Width (at cutting edge): 25.3mm, Weight: 71.82gms

13: Copper alloy cast awl. A plain eight-sided faceted tapered point of maximum diameter 10.8mm and length 72mm separated by an integral off-centre expansion of triangular profile – or bolster - from a wedge-ended rectangular-section tang of length 50mm with a wedge-shaped end which is 6.3mm wide at its end. The tang would have been inserted into a robust handle of a different material. The working end is patinated or glossed by wear which has also smoothed the lower extent of the facets and rounded the point, features which suggest its prolonged use with leather, and which are typical for such perforating tools. The arises between the faces of the tang remain crisp, which may hint at its protection by the handle until the latter had entirely decayed. It also illustrates the deposition of a tool in full working order. Davey does not illustrate awls from Lincolnshire.

Length (overall): 125mm, Diameter (at bolster): 13.8mm, Weight: 31.54gms

14: Copper alloy cast double-ended drill bit. A rod of two unequal faceted parts, both with a short (9.5mm), flattened and very slightly (by 1-1.5mm) expanded point at either end, both springing from a central sub-rectangular plate, flange or pair of wings. The larger rod is 60mm in length with a thickness/diameter of 10.2mm and with eleven longitudinal facets; the shorter is 48.5mm long with a diameter of 8.8mm, and bears ten longitudinal facets. The expanded ends are both aligned with each other in the same plane, which matches that of the projecting wings of the central part. The central plate is 32mm long and has a rounded mid-rib of width 12mm and flat sides of thickness 3.1mm on either side, with angled edges on both its ends which may incorporate casting flash as well as meeting the unequally sized shafts which spring from it.

The worn and smoothed ends of the object commend an interpretation as a reversible drill bit, for which the central plate would supply a means of engagement with the handle. This would necessarily be slotted to receive the square plate to give purchase during rotation, and rebated to receive whichever of the two points was not in use for the task in hand. There is a marked similarity with iron woodworking tools. Like the gouges, this object would serve for the construction of more complex objects or structures in wood. Davey does not illustrate any parallels for this object.

Length: 141mm, Diameter (rod): 9.8mm, Width: 31.4mm, Thickness: 10.15mm, Weight: 88.16gms

15: Copper alloy cast sword fragment. Tang and the upper part of the blade of a sword with a blade of lentoid section and length 50.6mm with flattened  edges 4.2mm wide; and with a sub-rectangular tang of rectangular section and length 51.3mm bearing two centrally drilled holes of diameter 4.2mm set 7.4mm apart for the attachment of a pair of scale tang handle plates. The measurement advanced for the tang includes an expanded or stepped basal part 12mm in length whose outer edges are worn, abraded or chipped, which might mark the loss of more prominently projecting elements. The crisp arises at the tang may suggest deposition of the object with the handle attached. The blade exhibits a granular or crumbed appearance at its broken end which may suggest this to be ancient damage, though it is not attended by discernible bending. Davey illustrates complete and fragmentary swords from Lincolnshire (op. cit. p.325-337, figs 25-28). Of these, more complete narrow waisted blades from the River Witham (fig. 25 nos 3-4) may suggest the graceful overall form of sword whence this derives and the two fixing holes in the plain tang of a shorter fatter blade from Washingborough (fig. 28 no. 5a) offer comparison for the riveted attachment of handle plates. Davey considers (p. 326) Lincolnshire swords to illustrate Hallstatt influence, but the group he presents spans a long period.

Length: 105mm, Width: 30.4mm, Thickness: 4.7mm, Weight: 61.60gms

16: Copper alloy sword fragment. A short part of a broad rhomboid-section blade. On one face of the fragment, a broad mid-rib is flanked by a pair of thinner longitudinal zones to either side. The thinnest outermost zones have sharp chipped edges. The other face of the fragment exhibits a smoother curve, and only the frayed outermost zone is discernible at the edges when viewed from this side. Both the broken ends of the fragment show a granular or crumbed surface suggesting an ancient break. Some distortion, perhaps arising from bending or breakage, appears at one end of the fragment. The differing forms of the two sides invite comparison with sword fragments from Caythorpe (op. cit. p. 325, 334-335, fig. 27 nos 4-5, fig. 28 no. 4) which are dated to the Ewart Park period, c.750-700 BC.

Length: 27mm, Width: 37.6mm, Thickness: 7.0mm, Weight: 32.79gms

17: Copper alloy sword fragment. A short part of a broad rhomboid-section blade with central paired longitudinal lines 1mm wide set centrally 10.8mm apart on one side and 10.3mm apart on the other, as if flanking a notional mid-rib. Beyond these more prominent lines, a fainter narrower line subdividing the outer zone of the blade appears on both faces of the fragment, and on the same side only. Here, an outermost zone 2mm wide appears to indicate sharpening of that side of the blade. This is not to deny the possibility of similar treatment on the opposite edge, which remains sharp, but more chipping was noted along the

sharpened edge. The fracture surfaces at the ends of the fragment exhibit the granular or crumbed appearance of ancient breaks. The strong definition of the central grooves recall sword fragments from Caythorpe and Washingborough (Davey op. cit. p; 336-337, fig. 28 nos 3-5a), though the less prominent delineation of a cutting edge does not appear on these illustrations.

Length: 38.9mm, Width: 34.1mm, Thickness: 7.1mm, Weight: 39.58gms

18: Copper alloy unidentified object fragment. A flat thin V-shaped lentoid-section blade fragment, bifurcated, now broken at its broader end, and also at the ends of its two branching arms. All the parts occur in the same plane, and both of the branching arms are of V-section. The narrower branch bears two longitudinal zones on both its faces; the sharp outer edge here might commend a function as a bladed implement such as a razor. The gap between the branching arms has flat vertical edges to a lentoid aperture; there is no discernible wear to indicate this feature to be anything other than decorative. If half is lost, an original length of over 40mm might be posited for the hole. While it might introduce weakness into a sword, it could be apt to a decorated spearhead, and weapons were the only components of the group to be deposited in fragmentary form. Though the broken broad end and the broken end of the broader branch appear to be ancient damage, the narrower branch is freshly broken. Davey provides no parallel for this fragment.

Length: 40mm, Width: 35.6mm, Thickness: 3.3mm, Weight: 13.23gms

19: Copper alloy possible metalworking debris. A short part of a solid three or four-sided point from close to its tip. Two adjacent faces, one complete but the other surviving only partially, are smooth with a sharp aris between them. The more complete face measures 35.3mm x 7.2mm, and now bears a leaden-looking patch at one end – perhaps indicating lead or tin content, or perhaps recent use as a pencil –point sharpener. A further two faces are fairly straight but exhibit the rough textures of an unfinished or flawed casting. Unless put to improvised use in hafting another object – which was perhaps the case with indistinctly viewed objects inserted into the two complete axes from this group – this object might most prudently be regarded as cuprous scrap retained for future use.

Length: 36.7mm, Width: 11.3mm, Thickness: 7.2mm, Weight: 10.85gms

20: Copper alloy ingot fragment. A short thick fragment, markedly irregular on one side which is rough and irregular, but with flatter ends. These might have been cut or broken, in which case this object might be a segment knocked from a longer rough-cast bar. Bright green corrosion is prominent on the most uneven surface, transgresses across one end face, but is almost absent from the other end face and from the back (relative to the uneven textured side).

Length: 21.2mm, Width: 32.6mm, Thickness: 18.0mm, Weight: 52.56gms

21: Iron tube. A possibly wrought iron square-section tube, filled with soil. The object is probably complete, and the mass may hint at good survival of the metal core. If associated with other hoard elements, this would appear to fit more comfortably into the class of craft equipment than others. An origin in more recent farm equipment is perhaps likely. Parallels from Mainwaring’s corpus of Iron Age and Roman ironwork have yet to be sought. X-radiography might be a useful precautionary means of investigation.

Length: 136mm, Width: 23.6mm, Thickness (wall): 4.7mm, Weight: c.200gms (weighed on postal scales)

22: Iron nail. Handmade, slightly tapered towards a wedge-shaped tip, and with a slightly expanded sub-rectangular head measuring 17mm x 11mm. The mass indicates good survival of a metal core. Probably medieval or later.

Length: 90.8mm, Width (shank): 10mm, Thickness: 6.2mm, Weight: 29.14gms

23: Iron plate fragment. A sub-rectangular fragment of thin iron, of slightly curved profile. The object may incorporate the meeting of two finished edges at a rounded corner, with the remaining edge or edges – now continuous – of an irregular form suggesting its partial loss to decay. Though a formed iron plate might derive from a helmet, this would be a somewhat startling component of a Later Bronze Age hoard, albeit other weaponry was also represented by fragments.  X-radiography might be a useful precautionary means of investigation in this case, though a recent date is perhaps likely, and an origin from a metal vessel could explain its curvature.

Length: 68.7mm, Width: 61.1mm, Thickness; 2mm, Weight: 49.32gms

24: Iron possible punch. Tapered wedge-shaped solid rectangular-section billet, lightly rounded at either end. Arises between the four flat convergent faces are crisp, and the mass of the object indicates good survival of its metal core. While this might point to a recent date, it could also be a feature of a tool well made from good materials. Investigation by X-radiography would appear apt given the high profile of craft equipment in the group. Encountered in isolation, this object might be identified as a blacksmith’s punch, of either medieval or post-medieval date.

Length: 65.1mm, Width: 19.7mm, Thickness; 9.8mm, Weight: 38.52gms