Late Bronze Age Looped and Socketed Axe

hammered · Feb 16, 2011

I managed to get out detecting yesterday for just over an hour, the first time in a while due to the weather. The fields in question are new to me and looked promising. As I walked on to the first field I was a bit shocked to see how deep the plough was, you can see in some of the pictures :laughing7:

. Anyway, I booted up the XP and was away, buttons and lead straight away, but 20 mins into the search, and over towards the edge of the field I had a good tone and started digging. I quickly uncovered what, at first, looked like a damaged copper or copper alloy pipe. I wiggled it about a bit and suddenly saw it was a bronze axe head.

I pulled it out of the ground carefully and laid it on the surface and took a picture, then just sat there for a while looking at it

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Here is a link to a similar one, but it's date is roughly 500 to 800 BC. http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ukdfddata/showrecords.php?product=11286&cat=228
I went back to the fields today for a few hours, but it was really hard going so I moved over to a seeded field where the wheat is coming through, and very quickly found an Elizabeth 1st 1580 Sixpence. I mulled around there for a while and found a few more bits and pieces, a few of which I still have to identify. Here are some more pics of the finds and the last 2 days.

The depth of the plough

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The next 2 are the surface find of the Bessy sixpence

A couple more of the deep ploughing.

More pictures coming in a minute :wink:

oldcoon · Feb 16, 2011

Sadly there is very little true plowing anymore in the US. It's either no till or chisel plowing. Enjoy your good fortune.

hammered · Feb 16, 2011

stefen said:
In the 1930's, the Santa Ana River (California) flooded and deposited a several foot layer of silt over Santa Ana farmland, rendering it useless...

The farmer invented a giant plow that required 3 track-layer tractors to pull it.

http://www.videosurf.com/video/a-gi...r-tractors-in-santa-ana-california-1217991486

Hi stefen, that is one heck of a plough blade, I have never seen anything like it, thanks for the link :icon_thumleft:

' I'm going to show this vid to my farmer tomorrow :wink:

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MaineRelic said:
That is one beautiful old Relic you have found ! Wow ! is all I can say ! MaineRelic

Thanks Maine :icon_thumleft:

Westfront said:
Bronze axe and hammered....much history on this field. Good spent time! What a find....

Considering what you find on a regular basis, you honour me :icon_thumleft:

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garryson said:
Excellent photos and finds, hammered!!

Thanks mate :icon_thumleft:

civilman1 said:
Awesome dig Hammered I've gotta hunt England just once

Thanks friend and you will hunt here one day, I'm sure :icon_thumleft:

Daedalus said:
This is Awesome and there are no other words that will work . It would be great if we could find things like this here in the U.S .

You are coming up with some of the best finds lately , so what ever it is that you are doing keep it up!

You flatter me

, thanks anyway, but there are many good finds made by all members, it's just luck where you are and where your coil passes. But I am really pleased with this find, it's my first Bronze Age, and it's going to be my favourite :icon_thumleft:

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joeyfresh said:
Wow! That axe is beautiful.

Thanks joey :icon_thumright:

HISPAN said:
Lucky you! ..... more than a month without going out to hunt and hunt in one hour a Museum piece.
I vote banner ! .. that ax is beautiful and the oldest, it deserves a place above.

Thanks "H", coming from you that is big praise indeed :icon_thumleft:

. When I look at what you find, this pales into insignificance. Your vote is all that I need to show I have done well :icon_thumleft:

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artzstuff1 said:
What awsome relic's !!!!!,,,,BANNER!!!!

Thanks mate, most appreciated :icon_thumleft:

gleaner1 said:
Very nice. Excellent work with both the detector and camera. I feel as if I am there. I certainly wish I were.

Thanks for the compliments on the pics :icon_thumleft:

, I was quite pleased myself, considering they were from my phone :laughing7:

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crazyjarhead said:
I was kind of leaning towards a Banner too. Bronze age axe head? How much better does it get than this?? My vote will be in on this one

Cheers mate :icon_thumleft:

, we're on the same page :laughing7:

nuggy said:
Got my banner vote on the bronze axe, beautiful, great find.

The crest on that shield shaped badge should be traceable, looks familiar.

Long may your luck run, Nuggy.

Thanks Nuggy, I agree about the sheild, if I find out anything I'll post it :icon_thumleft:

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Steve in PA said:
Great finds, especially the axe

Unfortunately, most farmers over here have given up the plow for "no till" farming.

Hi Steve

, thanks for the congrats. Over here the farmers were going for the "scrub and till", but changed their mind due field husbandry. Now it's deep ploughing, which is great for me as you can see :icon_thumleft:

. Lets hope for a few more :tongue3:

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hammered

hammered · Feb 16, 2011

oldcoon said:
Sadly there is very little true plowing anymore in the US. It's either no till or chisel plowing. Enjoy your good fortune.

Hi oldcoon, farming atitudes changed here real quick when they realised that they lost more than they gained by chisel ploughing. Deep ploughing each year and subsoiling every 3 to 4 years promotes healthy soil= more crops. No brainer really :tongue3:

hammered

traverdog · Feb 16, 2011

Fantastic find!!

ANTIQUARIAN · Feb 16, 2011

That's one beautiful relic mate!

You were in the right place at the right time eh! :notworthy:

Cheers,
Dave

hammered · Feb 16, 2011

Antiquarian said:
That's one beautiful relic mate!
You were in the right place at the right time eh!

Cheers,
Dave

I do my best Dave, I do my best, all for Tnet of course :tongue3:

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Ian

cuzcosquirrel · Feb 16, 2011

In one of the pictures there are knapped pieces of flint sitting on the surface.

That shield looks kind of old, like right at the time the Normans did away with the crusader-type motiffs and went to straight heraldry. I think one of the early princes used a single lion, but I am not sure about 4 quadrants on a shield.

Lookn4Seated · Feb 16, 2011

Beautiful finds! Just be careful out there in those fields. Rolled my ankle a few times on fields similar to that. :thumbsup:

hammered · Feb 16, 2011

cuzcosquirrel said:
In one of the pictures there are knapped pieces of flint sitting on the surface.

That shield looks kind of old, like right at the time the Normans did away with the crusader-type motiffs and went to straight heraldry. I think one of the early princes used a single lion, but I am not sure about 4 quadrants on a shield.

There's a load of worked flint around here, I really must start collecting more, thanks for reminding me :icon_thumleft:

Lookn4seated said:
Beautiful finds! Just be careful out there in those fields. Rolled my ankle a few times on fields similar to that.

I know what you mean, I wrenched my knee today, it's the size of a melon now, even with compresses $:-\$ . Still going out tomorrow :icon_thumleft:

hammered

Silver Searcher · Feb 17, 2011

Super find Ian :notworthy:

and in Great shape to :headbang:

looks like you have a Boy Bishops Token there as well, I think the spikey wheel is a Pastry cutter, I expect more from this field :icon_thumleft:

Oh.... and yes BANNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR :headbang:

SS

Nutriasub · Feb 17, 2011

I have been satring at my screen for a long time,...
that axe its breathtaking, you must have been shaking for a while...I would of

I agree its a banner find, like Hispan says it s museum piece!

I would love to know a little bit more about the other finds displayed, if its not too much trouble, its never too late to learn

congratulations and keep looking.

Cheers

DMN · Feb 17, 2011

Absolutely beautiful axe. Is it possible for you to put something with the picture for reference? I suspect its probably about 6-7 inches but it may not be, just my 'WAG'.
Thanks again...a truly wonderful find!