I thought I'd test this south Wales type socketed axe I made a while back. I always thought the angle of the head was a little too steep, but it turns out that it's ideal for hewing tool handles out of gnarly oak old branches.
The 2nd image shows the results. The old leaves shoved inside the socket help to keep axe head secure.
#experimentalarchaeology
I added some punch decoration to the bronze flanged axe. I can't find the original #Archaeologia Cambrensis article I copied this this replica from but as the name suggests, it is from a Welsh find.
#experimental archaeology
Today I've got an axe to grind.. literally.
Trying to work out how they might have cleaned up bronze casts with tools available in the bronze casts age. I hammered off the flash and sprue, Hammer hardened the edge and ground on a sandstone slab. To get a shine on it, I made up a paste with fine sand and rubbed using some scrap leather.
Next job will be applying punch decoration.
On Friday I took out my handling collection and gave a talk on experimental archaeology at a dig at cwmffwrn farm for the #Abbeycwmhir Heritage trust. The site is a possible medieval or post medieval longhut, and this year we finally found evidence to suggest it was a building, we also hopefully have some pottery that will date the site.
#Trysor, #Timescape Archaeology, #Community Archaeology , #Experimental Archaeology
Another busy day, this time with @vic_pardoe and Timescape archeology in Newtown for the Archeology festival. Pinch pots and cave painting in hand made paper. The re-enactment lads were a right laugh. #archeologyart #livinghistory
We lit the mud kiln and fired some pots. This lot are mostly inspired by must farm finds, with a couple of beakers thrown in. I was trying out different clays and tempers rather than trying to reproduce any particular pot. Only had one fail, and that was the only pot without any temper. The kiln is going to need patching before the next firing, but considering it's only made of mud and grass, it held up well.
#experimental archaeology
It's not been a great year health wise, but I'm back at it and remembering where I got to. I've been trying to figure out 3 part ceramic moulds. With a few more tweaks, this one will hopefully cast me a socketed gouge.
#UCD experimental archaeology
One of my missions for this year was to improve my prehistoric pottery skills. I've now almost got enough pieces dried and ready for a pit firing. I've even managed to bully our local clay into a beaker shape. Turns out you need lots of sawdust, crushed pot (grog), and crushed quartz.
My next mission is to use what I've learnt to make some 3 part ceramic moulds for casting socketed bronze tools.
I spent the morning helping to move the medieval Llandrindod log boat to its new home upstairs in the Radnorshire Museum. Out through a downstairs window and in through the upstairs window.
I had to dig deep in the scrap bucket for this one, but I think it'll work just fine.
My reproduction of a late Bronze age, South Wales type, socketed axe. Hammer hardened, ground, hafted, and ready for work
