1884.119.15

Collection type

Object

Description

Bronze axe

Long description

Bronze implement with expanded rounded edge

Geographical reference

Ireland, Republic of

Europe > Northern Europe > Ireland, Republic of

"Ireland": ie Ireland or Northern Ireland (UK)

Person

Maker Unknown Maker

Field collector Unknown Collector

PRM source Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection

Date / Period

Archaeological period: Late Bronze Age

Date collected

By 1874

Acquisition information

Donated: 1884

Materials and processes

Material Copper Alloy Metal, Material Bronze Metal, Process Cast, Process Forged (Metal)

Dimensions

Thick: max 39 mm, Width: max 52 mm, Length: max 106 mm, Weight 314 g

Object numbers

Accession number: 1884.119.15 PR Cat other PR nos: 2311

Research and responses

Pitt Rivers was in Ireland [serving in the Army] from 1862-66, this object may have been obtained during this period [Bowden, 1991: 60-4] [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

Associated publications

Published in Allen, I.M., Britton, D., and Coghlan, H.H., 1970, 'Metallurgical Reports on British and Irish Bronze Age Implements in the Pitt Rivers Museum', Occasional Papers on Technology 10, Oxford University Press, Oxford [CMP 09/08/2010] p 196 - Socketed axe with one loop. Mouth oval with one rather narrow moulding below horizontal ridge across faces and sides. Body hexagonal in section traces of longitudinal casting seam along each side Cutting edge sharpened. Inside socket prominent vertical rib behind lower part of each face. Surfaces rather pitted cutting edge ground in modern times (metallographic examination and analysis provided) [Drawing] - Cu 86.9%, Sn 11.7%, Pb 1.15%, Sb 0.049%, Ni 0.061%, Bi 0.007%, Fe 0.018%, Ag 0.056%- Confirmed as a bronze [GB 25/5/2005]

Search terms: Tool, Weapon, Axe