Casgliadau Arlein

This is a piece of casting jet which is a piece of waste metal from the Bronze casting process. Found associated with a Hoard of nine bronze axes.

The 9 axes were recovered from the same pit at depths between 15-45cm. They were all very similar socketed axes, 8 of South Wales Type 1 variety and 1 is a Collared Variant. Many of them were never perpared for use. They were placed haphazardly with rocks buried between them. This 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 bronze lump has an irregular sub-oval shaped upper surface in plan view, which is concave. The lump tapers with a convex curved profile to a narrowing but elongate base, with a long-axis mirroring that of the upper surface. There is no evidence of any runner stubs. The surfaces are heavily eroded with pock marks, with a green-grey patina.