axe
- Museum number
- 1982,0103.231
- Description
-
Iron military axe head.
1st century AD. A huge axe head of extremely-fine workmanship. The very broad triangular blade is angled slightly downwards, its cutting edge formed by a distinct bevel, about 1 cm wide, on each face. On the underside adjacent to the eye is a small rectangular cartouche which clearly originally contained a stamped inscription. It is to be regretted that rough mechanical cleaning, presumably by the finder, has rendered this inscription illegible. Fragments of the wooden handle, now mineralised, adhere to the inner face of the oval eye which, like that of no. 230, is reduced in aperture from top to bottom to ensure a rigid fastening on the handle. Flanking the eye are four neat rectangular lugs. The end face of the heavy rectangular butt is very carefully made with a lightly convex surface and bevelled corners and edges. It betrays slight signs of having been used as a hammer.
- Production date
- 1stC
- Dimensions
-
Length: 277 millimetres
-
Weight: 2748.50 grammes
-
Width: 147 millimetres (blade)
- Curator's comments
- Iron axe-head
Roman Britain, 1st century AD
From Camerton, Somerset
This is the iron head from a very large military axe of extremely fine workmanship. It was stamped on the underside with a short inscription, probably a maker's mark, but this is now illegible. This type of large heavy axe was used mainly for felling trees and the basic shaping of large timbers. The Roman army was in constant need of great quantities of timber, mainly for the construction of fort defences and for the internal buildings.
- Location
- On display (G49/dc16)
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1982,0103.231
