File:Bronze Age, Sussex Loop (FindID 560976).jpg

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Summary

Bronze Age: Sussex Loop
Photographer
The British Museum, Neil Wilkin, 2014-07-08 12:27:39
Title
Bronze Age: Sussex Loop
Description
English: A Middle Bronze Age hoard discovered on the 17th of May 2013 in the course of building work. The find consists of ten copper alloy objects, six palstave axes, two spiral finger rings and two 'Sussex Loop' armlets.

Descriptive catalogue

(N.B. On numbering of the palstaves: numbers in square brackets relate to numbering at time of initial recording. The sequence is largely retained for future reference except for where typological considerations take primacy.)

1. Copper alloy Sussex Loop bracelet or armlet. In one piece but broken in two places. Lozengical cross-section. The loop was made from a single, twisted bar with flattened terminals. The metal is heavily corroded on most surfaces and broken in two places. Where the edges of the bar are better preserved, it is possible to identify rows of decorative 'nicks' applied to the corners of the lozenge shaped metal rod.

Dimensions: Weight: 233g; Width: 85mm (approx.); Height: 85mm (approx.); Width of lozenge shaped rod: 9.6mm by 9.9mm; Width of terminals: 10mm

2. Copper alloy Sussex Loop bracelet or armlet. Fragmentary. Lozengical cross-section. The loop was made from a single, twisted bar with flattened terminals. The loop is broken into six fragments (No. i-vi, below), and, unlike loop No. 1, is no longer held together as one piece. The metal is heavily corroded across most surfaces but is better preserved along short lengths of the bar than loop No. 1. Where the original edges of the bar are preserved, it is possible to identify rows of decorative 'nicks' applied to the corners of the lozenge shaped metal rod (i.e. on two of four edges).

Fragment i.) Large fragment of bracelet

Dimensions: Weight: 143g; Width: 88mm (approx.); Height: 75mm (approx.); Width of lozenge shaped rod: 8.9mm by 9.3mm

Fragment ii.) Largest fragment of bracelet;

Dimensions: Weight: 259g; Length: 80mm

Fragment iii.) Section flattening towards terminal;

Dimensions: Weight: 23g; Length: 65mm

Fragment iv.) Lower arm and terminal of the loop from one of the two arms; Dimensions: Weight: 13g; Length: 55mm

Fragment v.) Terminal fragment;

Dimensions: Weight: 6g; Length: 35mm

Fragment vi.) Terminal fragment (appears to join with fragment v.);

Dimensions: Weight: 2g; Length: 15mm

3. Copper alloy coiled finger ring. Fragmentary sub-triangular or 'D'-shaped copper alloy bar coiled in on itself a maximum of three times, with two circuits achieved between the terminals. The ring has broken into three fragments and has heavy green/brown corrosion and flaking to surfaces. Notches or 'nicks' similar to the decoration of the Sussex Loops (Nos. 1-2), and the accompanying finger ring (No. 4), can be identified.

Dimensions: Weight: 20g; Diameter: 28.5mm; Rod width: 4-4.6mm

4. Copper alloy coiled finger ring. Complete, sub-triangular or 'D'-shaped, copper alloy bar coiled in on itself a maximum of three times, with two circuits achieved between the terminals. Although there is heavy green/brown corrosion to surfaces, patches of the ring surface are relatively well preserved. Notches of 'nicks' similar to the decoration of the Susex Loops (Nos. 1-2), and the accompanying finger ring (No. 3), can be identified.

Dimensions: Weight: 22.5g; Diameter: 29.5mm; Rod width: 4.3-4.6mm

5. Copper alloy palstave ['6'] (Rowlands's Class 2, Group 2, side flanged). Prominent medial rib running from the stop ridge to the centre of the blade edge, with a medial rib also present on the butt side of the stop ridge and runs for c.13mm. The palstave has a relatively rounded butt and is heavily corroded, with soil still adhering in places.

Dimensions: Weight: 295g (with soil still adhering); Length (max.): 131mm; Width of cutting edge of blade: 64mm; Length from stop to cutting edge: 78.2mm; (Max.) Thickness at stop ridges: 24.5mm

6. Copper alloy palstave ['1'] (Rowlands's Class 3). No trace of ribs to blade or butt end, blade edge missing its corner.

Dimensions: Weight: 333g; Length: 153mm; Blade width (surviving): 56mm

7. Copper alloy palstave ['3'] (Rowlands's Class 2, Group 2, side flanged). In two fragments. Prominent medial rib running from the stop ridge to the centre of the blade edge, it is not possible to detect whether a medial rib also occurred on the butt side of the blade due to the extent of corrosion. Heavy corroded.

Dimensions (combination of two fragments): Weight: 197g; Length (of two fragments): c.128mm; (Max.) Thickness at stop ridges: 26mm

8. Copper alloy palstave ['4'] (Rowlands's Class 2, Group 2, side flanged). Possible to detect evidence of a medial rib between both stop ridge and blade edge and stop ridge and butt (for c.12mm). Broken and heavily eroded to butt end of the blade.

Dimensions: Weight: 187g; Length: 118mm; Width of cutting blade: 43mm

9. Copper alloy palstave ['5'] (Rowlands's Class 2, Group 2, side flanged). Medial rib running from stop ridge to the centre of the blade but not possible to detect whether a rib also ran from stop ridge to butt end. Smooth cutting blade showing evidence of use-wear. Both sides of the blade show overlapping/miscast seams.

Dimensions: Weight: 219g; Length: 137mm; Width of cutting blade: 61mm; (Max.) Thickness (at stop ridge): 23mm

10. Copper alloy palstave ['2'] (Rowlands's Class 2, Group 2, side flanged). Medial rib from stop ridge to blade edge but not possible to detect a medial rib between stop ridge and butt, probably partly due to heavy erosion in this area of the blade. Cutting blade is distorted and this may be an original feature.

Dimensions: Weight: 269g; Length: 135mm; Width of cutting blade: 57mm; Thickness (at stop ridge): 25mm

11. Eight pieces of very friable and deteriorated ?prehistoric pottery, possibly from a single vessel and seemingly of the same fabric type. There is a substantial amount of soil adhering to each sherd, serving to hold the friable fabric together in some cases. It is not possible to be confident regarding the original character of the vessel but it has angular white grits.

i. Pottery sherd with solid soil block adhering; Weight: 135g; Dimensions: 60mm by 55mm by 40mm

ii. Pottery sherd, Weight: 21g; Dimensions: 43mm by 32mm by 15mm

iii. Pottery sherd, Weight: 9g; Dimensions: 35mm by 20mm by 10mm

iv. Pottery sherd, Weight: 4g; Dimensions: 20mm by 15mm by 15mm

v. Pottery sherd, Weight: 3g; Dimensions: 10mm by 10mm by 10mm

vi. Pottery sherd, Weight: 1g; Dimensions: 15mm by 10mm by 10mm

vii. Pottery sherd, Weight: >1g; Dimensions: 15mm by 15mm bv 15mm

viii. Pottery sherd, Weight: 1g; Dimensions: 10mm by 10mm by 8mm

Non-associated finds

One additional find was made alongside this hoard:

12. Modern rectangular section of, incomplete, copper alloy tubing with join/seam.

Dimensions: Weight 6g; Length (incomplete): 37mm; Width: 16mm; Thickness: 4.5mm

This item appears not to have been associated with the Middle Bronze Age finds and therefore does not qualify as potential treasure.

Depicted place (County of findspot) Surrey
Date BRONZE AGE
Accession number
FindID: 560976
Old ref: SUR-B41DB6
Filename: IMG_7676.jpg
Credit line
The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is a voluntary programme run by the United Kingdom government to record the increasing numbers of small finds of archaeological interest found by members of the public. The scheme started in 1997 and now covers most of England and Wales. Finds are published at https://finds.org.uk
Source https://finds.org.uk/database/ajax/download/id/475704
Catalog: https://finds.org.uk/database/images/image/id/475704/recordtype/artefacts archive copy at the Wayback Machine
Artefact: https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/560976
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