6o Implements of the Bronze Age in the Whitby Museum. 



socket is broadly oval, and instead of knobs, has a circular 

 hole bored through on each side of the socket, at a distance 

 of Y from the base. The socket extends to the shoulder, the 

 blade being cast solid. Unfortunately this has been rather 

 badly used, the blade has been broken, about a half being 

 missing, and a crude attempt has been made to sharpen the 

 broken piece with the object of using it as a chisel. Extending 

 from the shoulder of the handle is a low central ridge, on each 

 side of which is a shallow groove, from the outer edge of which 

 the implement is sharpened to a fine cutting edge. The total 

 length of the specimen is 5^" ; it is if" at the widest part, 

 the socket measures i^'Xyl". Weight, 5 oz. 



There are two winged axes of the Palstave type, which are 

 cast solid. The first. No. 6, is very similar to the Hutton 

 Cranswick example, shown on Fig. 24, plate IV., of The Natura- 

 list for May, 1917. It is 4I" in length, ij" across in the widest 

 part, the cutting edge being 2|" round. The wings are lozenge- 

 shaped as usual, and if in width. The axe has a roughened 

 appearance, with fine particles of sand adhering. It probably 

 owes this to the fact that it was buried in some peaty deposit.* 

 Weight, 9 oz. 



No. 7 is similar in type, but smaller, and has written upon 

 it, in ink, ' Found at the foot of the Wolds near Malton, Yorks.' 

 It is 4|" long, if" along the cutting edge, the wings being i^" 

 across. Weight, 6 oz. 



No. 8 is a socketed axe of the usual pattern, very similar in 

 type to the examples recently found at Scarborough, f Its outer 

 surface seems to be scored, as though having been exposed on 

 the sea-shore for some time. There are just traces of the usual 

 three ridges extending from the collar ; the marks where the 

 halves of the mould came together are indicated, though more 

 clearly on the side where the loop is. There are no ridges 

 inside the socket, which extends quite close to the cutting 

 edge. The specimen is 3^" long, 2" along the cutting edge, and 

 the socket measures if" X i-|". Weight, bj oz. 



No. 9. This specimen, like the following, is evidently of 

 Irish origin. It has a circular socket, and the cutting edge 

 is without sharp corners at each end. Inside there are very 

 pronounced ridges for secure shafting, so pronounced that they 

 meet together at the apex of the V. The specimen is 3 J" 

 long, 2j" wide, and the socket iV in diameter. Weight, 7I oz. 



* In the Eighth Report of the Whitby Literary and Philosophical 

 Society, p. 19, is a record of ' Two fine Celts found at Malton,' having been 

 purchased. As No. 6 is similar in type to No. 7, which was from Malton ; 

 possibly these are the two referred to. In the Eighth Report, p. 8, it is 

 recorded that ' Mr. Jos. Fletcher presented a prehistoric axe ; no locality 

 is given, nor does it state that the axe was of bronze.' 



t See The Naturalist, May 1917, pp. 151-154. 



Naturalist, 



