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Bronze Age hoard with rare anvil found in Wiltshire
A Bronze Age hoard of copper alloy tools, including an extremely rare anvil, has been found at Urchfont in Wiltshire. The hoard dates to ca. 1650-900 B.C. and is believed to be a metalworker’s collection.
A metal detectorist discovered the first piece, a tanged chisel, last February. He stopped digging as soon as he realized there was a hoard and alerted the Wiltshire Finds Liaison to the find. A few objects were unearthed at the site, including fragments of copper alloy sheeting and a copper alloy rod. Archaeologists lifted the rest of the hoard in a single soil block for micro-excavation in laboratory conditions at the British Museum.
The soil block excavation uncovered more fragments of copper alloy sheeting, a hacksaw blade, a looped palstave axe, fragments of at least two decorated copper alloy vessels, fragments of sheet metal and a small copper alloy bar that may have been part of the handle of a chisel or other small tool. Organic and charred material were also found, preserved in the dense soil.
Two pieces of a pouring basin with sprues (channels through which molds are filled) point to the hoard’s owner having been a metal craftsman and the anvil, which is small and silver-colored, suggests he did fine work in precious metal, so a goldsmith rather than a blacksmith.
The Wiltshire Museum is hoping to acquire the hoard.
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