Record Details

NHER Number:2567
Type of record:Find Spot
Name:Bronze Age palstaves and undated human remains (Southery, poorly located)

Summary

It is known that during the late 19th century two Bronze Age copper alloy palstaves were recovered in the same ploughed field at Southery, with one apparently found near to a "human skeleton". Unfortunately the exact location of these discoveries is not known.

Images - none

Location

Parish:SOUTHERY, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Around 1889. Stray Find.
Reported by [1] in 1889 as having been found "…near a human skeleton in ploughing a field near Southery, Norfolk, belonging to Mr. William Smith…":
1 Bronze Age copper alloy plain palstave. Poor specimen, 141mm long, one large loop, ridges on side of face as well as central one.
This object was donated to the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Z 4299; ex Foster Collection).

It was also reported by [1] in 1889 that a similar object "…in possession of Mr. William Whitehead of Yaxley was found in the same field under the same circumstances some few years since".
Information from (S1) and museum records. The object held by the CUMAA is noted in (S2) and is amongst the Bronze Age objects from Norfolk listed in (S3).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 May 2018.

In 1944 a Bronze Age copper alloy palstave from Southery was presented to the Peterborough Museum - see drawing (S4).
Information from (S1), which suggests this could be the object that was formerly in the possession of William Whitehead.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 24 May 2018.

Monument Types

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

Associated Finds

  • HUMAN REMAINS (Undated)
  • PALSTAVE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • PALSTAVE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Serial: 1893. C. U. Rep.. p 479.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Southery.
<S2>Publication: Rose, C. B. Alluvium of the Bedford Level. p 86.
<S3>Article in Serial: Clarke, W. G. 1907. The Distribution of Flint and Bronze Implements in Norfolk. Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society. Vol VIII Pt III (for 1906-1907) pp 393-409. p 409.
<S4>Illustration: [Unknown]. Drawing of a Bronze Age copper alloy palstave from Southery. Paper. 1:1.

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