Copper/Bronze Point?

[Erik in NJ]

Hi, have not been on the forum in a while as I have not had time to detect. Found this item in Devon County in England. Seems to have had a tang and point is broken off due to an impact which bent it into a very shallow S shape.

Presently the item is approx 1" long, 1/4" at wide end, and 3/16" thick tapering to quite thin.

Thanks for any help and nice to be back on the forum!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[Erik in NJ]

Here are some more pics...

 

[Coach Stack]

Interesting find, I check a few of my resources and see if I can find a match. btw when I say interesting I mean VERY COOL!!!

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thank you Coach! I'm on 50 acres of sheep farm but the fields are VERY quiet. I hope this one is something good at least. I know the history here in Dartmoor goes back to the Paleolithic. Interesting place, just wish the fields were plowed for crops.

BTW and Devon folks reading this? Would love to hook up for a proper hunt

 

[CRUSADER]

Looks more brassy, than bronzey. Not ancient, maybe 200 years old. But what it was is a mystery to me.

 

[CRUSADER]

Maybe a wood splitter....?

 

[nsdq]

I am going soldering iron point but i may be wrong

 

[Erik in NJ]

Maybe a wood splitter....?

Hi, thanks for looking. Right shape (kind of, minus the tang attachment point), but it's only an inch long so it would have had to have been for a tiny log. It rang up in the copper range, I believe it's either copper or bronze and there's a Bronze Age fort on the tor nearby.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Nsdq, That's a very interesting possibility! Thanks for your research.

I just showed it to a local historian who believes it's a Bronze Age point as I'm hoping, but the soldering tip from these pics is quite compelling as well. Let's see what some others have to say.

Appreciate your post.

 

[CRUSADER]

Nsdq, That's a very interesting possibility! Thanks for your research.

I just showed it to a local historian who believes it's a Bronze Age point as I'm hoping, but the soldering tip from these pics is quite compelling as well. Let's see what some others have to say.

Appreciate your post.

OK too small for that, but its not like any bronze age item I have ever seen, plus unless they got weird soil the patina is wrong for bronze age bronze.

 

[Erik in NJ]

It's very acidic soil here in Dartmoor. It does not have what I'm familiar with as a typical copper patina. I have a King George III (young bust) next to it and the patinas are different. It's definitely not brass, I'm quite confident of that. Can you show an item with a "typical" Bronze Age patina? Sure looked to me immediately when I dug as a weapon.

Could be a soldering point, but proximity of Bronze Age fort on nearby tor is very compelling.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Item next to paper thin King Geo. III (young bust) from same soil (it's not as purple as it appears in the pic). A local published Dartmoor historian who saw it in person believes it to be Bronze Age.

 

[old digger]

While looking at your third picture, the v-shaped tip reminds me of a chisel point. Could it be a small copper chisel? Neat Find!

 

[Erik in NJ]

Unfortunately I forgot my jeweler's loupe at home. It appears the tip broke off after a hard impact that bent it into the shallow S shape. There's def a tang attachment point on the back. Chisel is interesting idea. Would think bronze *might* be too soft but who knows?? Bronze Age tool? It looks quite old in person.

 

[nsdq]

Can we a pic of the top part wide end and one of the tapered end it may help narrow it some

 

[nsdq]

OK too small for that, but its not like any bronze age item I have ever seen, plus unless they got weird soil the patina is wrong for bronze age bronze.

Got ya, though it does remind me of one i have seen really small ones to very large ones .

 

[Erik in NJ]

Here ya go....

 

[CRUSADER]

Nothing about its look & feel says bronze age. Its too angular for starters.

see some of my recent bronze age axe bits..

 

[Erik in NJ]

I disagree. The soil in your area is quite different and those bits are not points. This is Dartmoor and there's a Bronze Age fort not far away. Honestly I'm a bit surprised that someone with your tenure in the field would suggest it was a log splitter. I'll wait for some experts to weigh in. The local historian (published) said Bronze Age. It is definitely not brass.

 

[CRUSADER]

I disagree. The soil in your area is quite different and those bits are not points. This is Dartmoor and there's a Bronze Age fort not far away. Honestly I'm a bit surprised that someone with your tenure in the field would suggest it was a log splitter. I'll wait for some experts to weigh in. The local historian (published) said Bronze Age. It is definitely not brass.

I didn't read your measurements & made a WAG based on its shape, because its shape is unlike any bronze age artefact. Your very welcome to get an expert opinion, but please update this post so I can learn something new.

It was to show patina, not to show points. (Which you asked for, I spent time doing the pictures & getting out from my safe place)