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 South Wales Type socketed axe, bronze – complete

A complete bronze ribbed socketed axe of slender form with near straight and slightly divergent sides. The blade is only very slightly expanded and the blade-edge is asymmetric in form and only very slightly curved. The axe has a hexagonal cross- section and a sub-rectangular shaped mouth with a prominent and narrow mouth moulding. Three visible runner scars with damage to the mouth where the fourth was located. Three parallel longitudinal ribs descend from the base of the collar, extending down two-thirds of the length of each face. Possibly burnt.

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 slope of a shallow valley, facing south-eastwards. There was no obvious watercourse flowing nearby.