Poorly Located Find Spot record BML 079 - Findspot of a Bronze Age bronze palstave

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Summary

A bronze palstave with a centre stop. "Found at Breemswell, Suffolk, 1872". Formerly recorded as BML MISC

Location

Grid reference TM 31 50 (point) Poorly located
Map sheet TM35SW
Civil Parish BROMESWELL, SUFFOLK COASTAL, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

Sold by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s), September 1969:-
Lot 14. A bronze palstave with a centre stop. "Found at Breemswell, Suffolk, 1872. A.9." Length 4 1/2 inches. Fine example. UKP 15.
Sold to(see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s), an "enthusiastic collector" (S1).
"In April 1982 ... a MBA looped palstave was offered for sale in 'Popular Archaeology' (with the description item number 30 MBA looped palstave in an excavated condition ... both items are labelled Breemswell Suffolk 1872, this is most likely to be an error in reading Bromeswell which is near Woodbridge) by the renowned dealers Fox and Company ... Further information forwarded with the objects showed that they were ex Robert Clough Antiquities... .
A reply to correspondence received from the County Archaeological Officer confirmed the above ... being originally acquired by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) from either Christies or Sothebys. However the exact details of such a sale date were not noted, although we may presume such objects were acquired by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) some time prior to his issuing his September 1969 list".
"The Bromeswell looped palstave the loop being parallel to the stop ridges the hafting slot is relatively narrow and straight sided. The blade is slender just below the stop ridge giving the implement a slightly waisted appearance and splays out to a slightly curved blunted cutting edge of moderate width. The flashes have been miscast and are very uneven the whole being untrimmed, the overall surface of the palstave is pitted by corrosion and has a dark green patina. The upper part of the butt end of the palstave has broken away possibly when the plug was removed during casting and is pinched on one side. The dimensions are length 11.4cm, width of butt 1.2cm, width of blade 3.7cm, width of flanges 1.5cm. The bottom part of one of the blade faces is marked in white ink Breemswell Suffolk 1872 A9, which has been varnished over. The implement is in most of its features typical of Middle Bronze Age low flanged palstaves 1400-700 BC found throughout Britain and maybe related to the Anglo Welsh palstave series Group III." (sic) (S2). The drawings and photographs show the loop being, as might be expected, at right angles rather than parallel to the stop ridges.

Formerly recorded as BML MISC

Sources/Archives (4)

  • <S1> Index: Ipswich Museum. IPSMG card. IPSMG, card "Breemswell (?Bromeswell)" (sic) Bronze Age, undated.
  • <M1> Unpublished document: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Parish Files. Parish file : handwritten note from Stephen-Murray R given in (S2) above,.
  • <S2> (No record type): Stephen-Murray R, 18 March 1983.
  • <M2> (No record type): drawing, photograph.

Finds (1)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

May 21 2020 8:47AM

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