Casgliadau Arlein

Slender faceted axe of Type Meldreth / Class D. This is a small mouth side fragment of a slender faceted axe, with two broken loop stubs evident. The axe had a modestly flaring mouth, with a medium depth onset collar. It is not clear whether the lower collar margin had a projecting collar moulding, or whether the collar was a simple band, with a concave profile and a step margin onto the upper faces. The narrow loop projected from the underside of the collar. Down the side, a casting seam is visible and appears not to have been trimmed or hammered across the collar. On one side, a narrow facet can be seen extending from the collar down the upper face of the axe and it is likely that this axe once had eight facets (three on each face, with one on each side). On the exterior surface, there are patches of black patination on the collar and within the loop and the interior socket surface is markedly blackened. The rest of the exterior surface has a grey-green patina, with small arear of light green and powdery surface visible on the loop stubs, on the mouth top and in places along the breaks.