Bronze Age socketed axe head mould

[wheellock95]

A Bronze Age socketed axe head mould dating from the Ewart Park phase of the late Bronze Age which is around 900-700BC. Found outside Stevenage (UK) in the 1970s and then part of the Simon Camm collection. Incredibly rare item, especially to have both valves in such fine condition. I spoke to a very prominent expert of the Bronze Age and he thinks it may be the only one to be found in Hertfordshire and Home Counties area.
Attached

[Tim Simmons]

That is quite fantastic. As a sculptor with access to diamond power tools , tungsten tipped chisels for work on hard stones. One might well marvel at the finished cast bronze axe but the chap that spent the time making the mould is the master craftsman { I can say that as it would have been a man at that time }. Do you know what stone the mould is made from? Cornish soap stone? which would be easy to work but not to detract from the masters skill. Or a hard stone like granite which really would be quite marvellous work grinding with other stones. I am in awe of the hard stone carvings of the pre-Colombian Americas. Information of the stone and where it was sourced would be nice to know.

[wheellock95]

Hello Tim, the mould is actually made from bronze. Which is also amazing as it is surprisingly sophisticated for being close to 3000 years old !

[Tim Simmons]

Not difficult to make the martix in wax. Still a nice thing.