Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A Late Bronze Age socketed axehead reported found in the sea off Whitstable. It may be one of several known to have been recovered through dredging by oystermen off the Whitstable coast. It was purchased by Maidstone Museum in 1953, although it was probably found at a considerably earlier date.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Middle Bronze Age to Late Bronze Age - 1200 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds

• AXEHEAD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

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A looped and socketed axe of square section with ribbing, is on exhibition in Maidstone Mus. Acc. No. 85/1953. It was purchased from a dealer in Yorkshire and provanced "from the sea at Whitstable",but nothing is known of its early history. (1). Described by Grove as "a socketed axe from the sea at Whitstable", a provenance supported by the patina and the presence of marine material within the socket. Although purchased in 1953 by Maidstone Museum, date of discovery was likely to have been much earlier. It is likely, as with other axes (see associated records) with an "off Whitstable" provenance, that it was dredged up by oystermen working off the north Kent coast. (2) Additional references (3-4).

<1> Arch Cant 68 1954 210 (LRA Grove) (OS Card Reference). SKE35431.

<2> F1 CFW 18.09.63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42615.

<3> Field report for monument TR 16 NW 11 - September, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5538.

<4> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, Canterbury Sites and Monuments Record, 11 (Index). SWX11836.

Sources and further reading