Casgliadau Arlein

Bronze Age bronze socketed axe fragment

Dimensions: maximum surviving length 76.0mm; maximum surviving width at mouth (side-to-side) 36.4mm; mouth thickness6.0-8.3mm; maximum surviving width at lower face break 33.2mm; surviving weight (prior to conservation) 81.9g.

This is a large fragment of a ribbed socketed axe of bronze, with one third of the mouth, most of one upper face and the non-loop side present, with all of the blade edge missing. The axe has a flaring trumpet shaped mouth profile with the hint of a poorly defined lower collar moulding, from which three-ribbed decoration extends down the upper face. The mouth is sub-rectangular in plan, with no runner stubs visible on the side circuit or mid-way along the face-top. The side is slightly concave in profile flaring slightly towards the blade-end.

The external side-face and lower face of the axe has areas of white concretion and areas of adhering black charcoal deposit and the external metal surface is rough, with small pits. This strongly suggests the axe was burnt immediately prior to its burial, in common with the sword blade. The break edges are soil covered but crisp and uneroded, tending to suggest the axe was broken in antiquity, possibly after the burning event. The surfaces without charcoal or ash concretions have a grey-green patination.