Bronze Age Hammer find

mattdiver

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Hi folks. I'm gonna stick my neck out and say this find that I found yesterday is a late Bronze Age hammer. It was found in pasture field about 8 inch deep on top of a hill with good panoramic view. Found North west England. I have found Bronze Age finds about a mile away from this site. It is my third visit to new area of land. I cannot find a parallel to the find but know the hammer is made of bronze and believe post Iron Age tools would be made of Iron.it weighs approximately 150 grams. I would appreciate help with this one please. I will report this find with Finds Liason. Thanks.
 

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Upvote 16

mihmar79

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Cool find! Gz!
 

ARC

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Welp... I hate being the one who "starts" heh...
In my opinion this is VERY old... but not bronze age...
First hint... Square hole.
 

ARC

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Btw... this is stellar find...
This will be interesting thread.
I think this is a seriously cool find...
The hole is tooo refined
I think this a "shipwrights" hammer...
For driving spikes/pegs.
 

Silver Searcher

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I would have to agree that it's not from the Bronze age, nice find though. Possibly like ARRC says a shipwrights hammer.

SS
 

Plumbata

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Cool find, I can only speculate on the age so will refrain myself, but the form looks similar to a "cobbler's hammer" in my opinion, used to pound and shape and selectively soften leather for shoes.

Offhand i don't know what bronze-age hammers looked like, so hopefully it is indeed an ancient piece.
 

Metal Illness

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Congrats, it is a cool piece regardless of the time period. I will follow this thread waiting for a definitive ID. I love it, it's definitely older than any hammer/axe tools I have found!
 

Msbeepbeep

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Wow! You guys always have such cool old relic and coin finds over there! Congrats!
 

CRUSADER

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It looks to have some good age, but....

As far as I know, in the early Bronze Age they used Stone hammers, & in the later period 'socketted' types, like the one below:
Record ID: FAKL-9C9543 - BRONZE AGE hammer - database

What I'm not sure is when this more modern style that we see today was started?

Still, I like the well used look & patina & something I have not seen before, so in my books a good find.

PS, please update after the FLO ID?
 

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CRUSADER

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Welp... I hate being the one who "starts" heh...
In my opinion this is VERY old... but not bronze age...
First hint... Square hole.

Record ID: NMS-71C3A8 - BRONZE AGE hammer - database

You make a good point, because the bronze age stones were drilled from both sides, making a circular hole, not sure why they couldn't cast this shape/squre hole, as the socketted type were pretty complex to cast but I guess they hadn't developed that idea.
 

pepperj

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ARC

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relevantchair is perhaps onto something with that pic...
perhaps it IS Viking...

And I quote...
"Hammers such as this one have rarely been found in Viking Age levels elsewhere in Britain, but have been found more commonly in Scandinavia."

Dude... I think this may warrant a serious damn banner if this is authenticated...
This is good debate/research piece for TN net.
Wow...
Would have never guessed.
LEarn something new everyday... Round was always the way I have seen them...
Relevantchair uncovered that site that indeed has this head that LOOKS VERY close.

FREAKIN VIKING MAN !!! heh how cool.
 

Tnmountains

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What a cool find. This is where it gets even more interesting..
 

bill from lachine

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Folks,

Either way this is a very interesting find and with that type of patina it's definitely got some serious age to it.....let's hope the FLO(Finds liasson officer) can narrow it down as to time period.....and the plot thickens.

Regards + HH

Bill
 

beez0404

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I think that is a magnificent find. Hope it turns out to be a Viking hammer.
 

releventchair

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Caution in guessing on my part should be emphasized.. The original post's hammer very close to a type of blacksmiths hammer also, of which some had square eye holes . A predecessor to today's machinist hammer.
Context of the site a consideration still. A dwelling or more and it's time frame ,or simply a hammer bounced off a tractor.(boo-hiss.)
The green can be patina from fertilizer,(chloride) or if item is bronze and or copper, verdigris as it should be.
The green not familiar on iron, but I have seen no antiquities from found site; or England soil recoveries for that matter beyond a few pictures..
Sure an interesting recovery. I too look forward to further information on the hammer head.
 

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ARC

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Caution in guessing on my part should be emphasized.. The original post's hammer very close to a blacksmiths hammer also, of which some had square eye holes . A predecessor to today's machinist hammer.
Context of the site a consideration still. A dwelling or more and it's time frame ,or simply a hammer bounced off a tractor.
Agreed ...
Well done on that site find.
I think you are close man... reallllll close.
Tis possible for sure.This and cross find are both PHENOM... regardless today ,,,
Heh 2 in one day.
 

CRUSADER

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If this turns out to be an Anglo-Sandinavian (Viking) period hammer, which it very vell could be, then it must be a banner find. Never heard of anyone finding one before & none are recorded on the PAS or UKDFD. I hope the FLO gets the right specialist advice because they are unlikely to know what it is & maybe how important it is.
If I were the OP, I would email a Scandinavian museum for their advice.
Any confirmation & my vote is in.
 

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