{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O325175"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O325175/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022ND5529/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022ND5529/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2022ND5529","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2022ND5530","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JY0095","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O325175/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O325175","accessionNumber":"5428-1901","objectType":"Axe head","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"During the British Bronze Age, between 2500-800 BC, axes developed a ritualistic purpose. Previously axes had been used for chopping wood, but towards the Late Bronze Age they were produced more frequently and became increasingly decorative. Bronze axeheads, such as this one, were valued objects, and often buried with high-status individuals as a sign of respect. This did not necessarily mean that the individual was a warrior, or that they regularly used an axe, instead it spoke more to the power with which they were associated. Axes were also buried en masse, sometimes with the moulds which had been used to cast them. These ritual burials were a prominent part of Bronze Age culture. One of the largest hoards of over 300 axe heads was excavated in Langton Matravers, Dorset in 2007. This hoard contains a variety of axe styles, demonstrating the variety used in different regions. By comparison, this axe head was reportedly found alone, rather than in a hoard\r\nMany Bronze Age axe heads appear to be unused, and they have many properties which would make them unsuitable for high-impact activities. For example, surviving axe heads from this period were often extremely small, and some were made from a copper alloy with a high proportion of tin or lead which would make the metal brittle. The axe heads were also richly decorated, using patterned moulds. The ring and dot decoration on this axe head speaks to its symbolic value. It was designed to be viewed and admired, rather than used manually. A similar pattern can be seen on a carved steatite axe mould discovered at Sittenham.","physicalDescription":"Bronze socketed axehead with ring and dot decoration, and complete hanging loop. Two parrallel ribs run down each edge of the blade, away from socket, culminating in matching ring and dot designs. Casting core has been removed.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Bronze","id":"x40014"}],"techniques":[{"text":"cast","id":"x32615"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[],"styles":[{"text":"Late Bronze Age","id":"AAT19278"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2022ND5529","2022ND5530","2017JY0095"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"014","id":"THES407134"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Axe head","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"","value":"","unit":"","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"48","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"20/12/2021","earliest":"2021-12-20","latest":"2021-12-20"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"45","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"20/12/2021","earliest":"2021-12-20","latest":"2021-12-20"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"132","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"20/12/2021","earliest":"2021-12-20","latest":"2021-12-20"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Transferred from Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street.  Kingston Upon Thames (?)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Bronze socketed axe head, with ring and dot ornament. Late Bronze Age, British, reportedly excavated at Kingston Upon Thames","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Woodward, Peter. <u>Collapsing commodities or Lavish Offerings? Understanding Massive Metalwork Deposition at Langton Matravers, Dorset during the Bronze Age-Iron Age Transition</u>. <i>Oxford Journal of Archaeology</i>, Vol. 34, No. 4. Oxford, pp. 365-395, 2015."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Needham, Stuart. <u>The classification of chalcolithic and early bronze age copper and bronze axe heads from southern Britain</u>. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2017."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Coles, John M. <u>Scottish late Bronze Age metalwork: typology, distributions and chronology</u>. <i>Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland</i>, vol. 93 pp 16-134, 1960."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[{"text":"Kingston Upon Thames","id":"x29493"}],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["5428-1901"],"accessionNumberNum":"5428","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1901,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-10","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}