Casgliadau Arlein

This is a South Wales Type socketed axe, bronze – complete One of a Hoard of nine bronze axes and one possible casting jet.

The 9 axes were recovered from the same pit at depths between 15-45cm. They were placed haphazardly with rocks buried between them. The 9 axes of this hoard group are remarkably homogenous. 1-8 are all socketed axes identifiable as South Wales Type, no.1 is a Collard Variant.They all date to the Ewart Park phase of the Late Bronze Age (1000-800 BC). Of the group, only axes Nos.1 and 2 show clear evidence of being worked and prepared for use. Nos 5 and 9 show significant casting flaws and are in their 'as cast in the mould' state, never having been prepared for use. Similarly, nos 7 and 8 were never prepared for use. For axes 3, 4 and 6 the evidence is less clear either way.

The fragment of casting jet was discovered approximately 30 metres away. Leaded bronze casting jets are often found with Late Bronze Age hoards making it likely that this object was originally buried with the axes and disturbed later due to ploughing.

This is a complete socketed axe of slender form with a slight S-shaped or crinoline outline. The axe has an everted mouth moulding and a narrow and high-placed loop. The mouth is sub-rectangular in shape and has four feint runner-scars, each placed at 90 degrees around the mouth. Three feint and discontinuous ribs extend from beneath the mouth moulding over the top half of each face. Casting seams are prominent down each side but are rounded and have been rapidly hammered down. Casting flaw concavities are evident, one on a lower face surface and one on the loop-side immediately beneath the lower loop insertion. In addition, there are shallower surface imperfections visible on one upper face side, nearest the loop. The blade is straight with no flaring and recurving at the edges and no sharpening striations evident near the blade edge, suggesting the axe was never used. The axe has a grey-green patina with a small surface bronze concretion on one face.