BRONZE AGE MINIATURE OBJECT

Late Bronze Age to Roman copper alloy 'model' (Robinson, Wiltshire Archaeology Magazine 1995) or possibly miniature socketed axehead, with traces of iron in the shallow socket (9.2x5.6x3mm). It measures 38.5mm in length and has a cutting edge max. 24.8mm wide. At the socket end (narrowest part) it is 16.8mm wide. It weighs 31.28g.The axehead is thinnest at the blade end (1.1mm thick) expanding over the length to 12.7mm at the socket end.The mouth has a slight moulding which is emphasised by a groove beneath it. The loop is cast to the side (and not part of the body of the axe as so many miniature example are) and is C-shaped (8.7x7mm) with a piercing 2.6mm in diameter.The surface of the miniature axe has lost some of its original patina, although it is mostly smooth and shiny and dark in colour. There is no sign of wear on the loop(suggesting it was not worn as an amulet).The dating of miniature axeheads is from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman period, although they are more common from the Roman period. Their function is probably as an amulet or votive. This axehead is unlike those recorded from Wiltshire so far, which are mostly crude interpretations, whereas this is much more faithful to a true Bronze Age axe. That said however, it is very flat in section and its splayed blade is rather more reminiscent of palstave axeheads than socketed ones. The socket and loop are rather more Late Bronze Age, Ewart Park types.Robinson comments in WAM 1995 that better-made examples could be used as tools of some sort. He comments on this particular object: "To my mind this is a classic "model" but not miniature axehead. They are always much better made than the miniature axeheads. The example we have in Wiltshire Heritage Museum is 51 mm long which is close enough to yours at 38.5. I had thought that they were Late Bronze Age but could never find strong dating evidence for them".This example has an unusable socket as it is too shallow.