Skip to main content Accessibility statement

We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.

By clicking the Accept button, you agree to us doing so. More info on our cookie policy.

Histories of Northamptonshire
View in timeline

Bronze Age Hoard

Bronze Age 3300 - 1200 BCE Geologic to Prehistoric

A collection of Bronze Age damaged or worn bronze objects including axe heads, sword framents and other bronze pieces found together buried in a hoard.

Bronze Age hoard © NMAG
Bronze Age hoard
Number of additional bronze metal fragments included blade fragments © Creative Commons Non Commercial Licence
Number of additional bronze metal fragments included blade fragments
Selection of socketed axe heads © Creative Commons Non Commercial License
Selection of socketed axe heads

This Bronze Age hoard of 56 socketed axe heads, fragments of sword, spearheads and other bronze metalwork were discovered by a metal detectorist in 2004 within the north-eastern confines of a Neolithic causewayed enclosure in an undisclosed location in the county.

During the Bronze Age flint was not immediately replaced by metal working although bronze allowed for a superior range of tools and weapons. It is likely that collections (hoards) of valuable or important metal objects were therefore buried in the ground or deposited in a safe place. Such hoards can vary in size and content, from a handful of coins to a cache of tools.

This hoard is interesting as many of the tools show signs of heavy wear and damage, so they could be a collection of scrap metal. It is likely that they were collected with other surplus bronze to form a metal resource for recycling. The diverse collection of tools, weapons, metalworking debris and ingots of raw material suggest that this is a metalworker’s hoard, intended to be recovered at a later time.

Number 15 of the objects selected for the A History of Northamptonshire in 100 Objects Exhibition 2025

2nd Image: CC Licence The British Museum

3rd Image: CC Licence The British Museum

Northamptonshire
Contributed by NMAG

Explore related content (external site)

See our disclaimer

Previous object
Next object

Related objects

  • Solid Roman bronze horse and rider statuette, possibly a votive offering. © NMAG
    Roman and Early Medieval

    Roman Horse and Rider Statuette

    A bronze statuette of a horse and rider. This object is probably a votive or religious object left at the site of a Roman shrine.

  • Roman lucet from Orton Waterville (formerly part of Northamptonshire and Soke of Peterborough) © Peterborough Museum
    Roman and Early Medieval

    Roman Lucet

    A lucet was used to make braids and cords. Found at a Roman military site this is the earliest example found in Britain or Europe.

  • Bronze cast from clay maquete produced by sculptor Henry Moore © NMAG
    Modern

    Madonna and Child Maquette

    Maquette (preliminary model) for Madonna and Child statue at St Matthews Church, Northampton. It was commissioned from the now-famous sculptor Henry Moore.

  • Mesolithic flint blade or microlith © NMAG
    Geologic to Prehistoric

    Mesolithic Flint Microlith

    Flint microlith - small stone tool made and used by nomadic hunters gatherers living in the Nene Valley during the Middle Stone Age.