A Hoard of Bronze discovered at Grays Thurrock

Extract

Hoards of ancient bronze, however unimportant they may seem, are apt to throw much light on the Bronze Age, and all such finds should be placed on record.

Deposited on loan in the Colchester Museum is a bronze founder's hoard discovered in a cavity of the chalk at Grays Thurrock, Essex, in 1906. From the number of pieces and the variety of types comprised it is certainly remarkable, but has remained unpublished. It comprises some 298 pieces, including several fine implements and weapons, numerous fragments of others broken and worn-out and collected as metal, lumps of copper and bronze, waste pieces and imperfect castings, and a portion of a bronze mould for casting socketed celts. The various items are tabulated in groups:

33 socketed celts, lengths' 4·9 to 2·7 in.

71 imperfect ditto and fragments.

I winged celt, length 4·8 in.

2 imperfect ditto, similar.

Among the socketed celts one fine specimen, length 4·9 in., square in section and quite plain except for a bold moulding round the mouth, is worthy of notice. The remainder range in length from 4·4 to 2·7 in., and vary considerably in the form of their sockets and in style of decoration.