Beschreibung:

BRONZE AGE BRITISH ISEHAM / NETTLEHAM-TYPE LOOPED PALSTAVE AXEHEAD 15th-10th century BC A substantial fresh cast bronze looped palstave axehead with square cutting edge (never sharpened) and rebates to receive the handle incorporating raised 'grip' lines and with cast multiple longitudinal line ornament to each side, below the rebates; with attachment loop to one side (with inked reference 'Borough Hill, Northampton'); probably Isleham Type or Nettleham Type. 384 grams, 14.5cm. Condition Very fine condition. Provenance The Chris Rudd collection, Norfolk, UK; formed since the 1970s; collection number AX45; formerly in the Michael Nellist collection; found Borough Hill, Northampton, UK. Published Published by Brett Hammond, Finding the Bronze Age in Britain, in The Searcher, October 2014, Fig. 11.p.52 (this axehead). Literature Cf. Schmidt, P.K. & Burgess, C.B. The Axes of Scotland and Northern England, Prähistorische Bronzefunde, Ab. IX, vol. 7, Munich, 1981, pl.67, nos. 927-931. Footnotes Chris Rudd has collected ancient coins and antiquities since the 1940s. As an amateur archaeologist he found many himself at Badbury Rings, Dorset, 1952-53. He also dug at Hod Hill with Professor Sir Ian Richmond and at Wroxeter with Dame Kathleen Kenyon and Dr Graham Webster. Today he is best known as a Celtic coin dealer. His catalogues have been described as ‘an important research source’ by Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe and ‘treasure houses of delight’ by Dr Anne Ross. Coins and artefacts associated with Chris Rudd – as a collector, dealer and valuer – can be seen in The British Museum and other museums. This collection was formed since the 1970s.