Casgliadau Arlein

One of a Hoard of twenty one bronze tools, weapons and ingot fragments dating to the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age (1000-800 BC)

This is a Plain Pegged Spearhead of Group 11, probable Type 11A/F, a large blade and socketed fragment.

A three-quarters socketed spearhead fragment of bronze, missing its upper blade and tip and part of the socket. The spearhead has a slender blade which was probably once flame shaped. On one side, the midrib is narrow and prominent, with the midrib sides each following a gradual tapering concave curve from the socket and along the blade. On the reverse side, the midrib is damaged and mostly missing along the mid to lower blade, with small fragments impressed into soil still within the socket. The lower socket and one entire socket side is missing and there are no surviving socket mouth edges and no surviving peg holes down the sides of the socket. A slight convexity to the socket profile hints at the possibility of a barrel shaped socket (Type 11F), but insufficient of the socket survives to clearly indicate this. The spearhead has been with force across the lower blade, probably in antiquity, with a localized extension tear across the lower midrib on the better-preserved face. The upper blade break-edge is also eroded the break having been made in antiquity. All blade edges are very damaged and eroded, suggesting the damage was created while the spearhead was buried in the ground.

The hoard contains 13 axe heads, 1 palstave, 3 spearheads, 1 sword and 2 fragments from copper and leaded bronze ingots of Late Bronze Age (1150-800BC) dates. 1 additional post-medieval copper alloy object was found nearby but was probably mixed in by chance. The hoard was discovered on the south-eastward facing slope of a shallow valley with a view of the Bristol Channel. There was no obvious watercourse flowing nearby.