‘Some finds “of more than ordinary interest”: Exploring small socketed axeheads from northern Britain’

Abstract

• In 2019 a miniature bronze socketed axehead was discovered near Morebattle, Scottish Borders. These enigmatic finds are rare in northern Britain and are often considered to date anywhere from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman period. The discovery at Morebattle prompted a research project analysing unusually small socketed axeheads from Scotland and northern England. For the first time, scientific techniques have been applied to these objects, including optical microscopy, X-ray fluorescence analysis and computed X-radiography, to inform assessments of wear analysis, material composition, manufacture and chronology. This presentation presents the findings and offers a broader discussion surrounding the changing function and meaning(s) of small socketed axeheads in later prehistoric Britain.