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 Variant socketed axe, bronze – complete

A complete and slender ribbed socketed axe of bronze. The axe has slightly concave sides which expand gradually towards a slightly expanded blade, with a very slightly curved cutting edge. The body is sub-rectangular in cross-section, with a sub-square shaped mouth in plan-view with rounded corners. A single runner stub is positioned centrally above one face, whilst excess bronze projects slightly around the inner rim of the socket. The axe has a prominent mouth moulding, verging on a collar, which is flat-sided and everted in profile. A wide loop descends from the base of the collar area. Three longitudinal and converging ribs descend from the base of the collar, descending down three-quarters of the length of each face. The casting seams are prominent down both sides but have been flattened. The cutting edge is virtually complete with the exception of a recent chip on the loop side. 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 south-eastward facing slope of a shallow valley with a view of the Bristol Channel. There was no obvious watercourse flowing nearby.