1884.119.190

Collection type

Object

Description

Bronze socketed axe

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 Bronze Metal, Material Copper Alloy Metal, Process Polished, Process Socketed

Dimensions

Length: max 60 mm, Length x Width: max 35 x 11 mm, Weight 20 g

Object numbers

Accession number: 1884.119.190 PR Cat other PR nos: 2293

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 210 - Socketed chisel mouth oval upper part of body oval in section becoming flatter below with moulding across each face. Expansion of cutting edge slightly asymmetrical sharpened inside of socket plain. Surfaces smooth in parts recently polished (metallographic examination and analysis provided) [Drawing] - Sn 10.01%, Pb 3.77% As 0.19%, Sb 0.18%, Ni 0.11%, Bi 0.007%, Fe<0.006%, Ag 0.16%, Mg<0.005% This analysis confirms this object is a bronze alloy. Metallographic examination showed evidence of cold-hammering. [GB 20/2/2006]

Search terms: Tool, Chisel