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Here's a little somenthing my Danish friend Alan Farskov and a fellow detectorist recently dug up in their native Denmark.  

When I was there a couple of years ago the best thing I found was an 1880's US Indian Head Penny - go figure.  Of course, I got to keep the penny.  The sword is "National Treasure and belongs to the Danish People - but I know Alan is both OK with that and proud of his contribution to his beautiful country's history.

 

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Other than it is Bronze Age, no info. On the sword.  Probably an offering - briken on purpose as they usually were.

 

here's another find by the co-finder (along with my pal Alan Farskov) of the sword.  He located 2 of the axes, then the professionals did a proper investigation of the site and mapped the whole context, including non-metallic features.  A good example of the "avocational historian" ( fancy talk for the guy with the detector) responsibly working with public authorities to truly "save history".

also, a pic of Bent Rasmussen - the finder - in front of the case with all 5 axes.

Next summer, I'm afraid I will have to go back to Denmark - have to do better than that stinking Indian Head penny.  The other guys on the hunt accused me of bringing it from the US - I told them that If I had done that, I would have brought a $20 gold piece instead!

http://sciencenordic.com/five-massive-bronze-age-axes-unearthed-denmark

 

 

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That is a stunning BA find,could be 1000BC or more,unusually that is broken like that ?? if it was sy a votive offering then it would have been complete i would have thought,but the other option that we find here in the UK is that because bronze was such a rare and valuable commodity it was often recycled again to make other weapons and tools etc.

If a BA was to be recycled they often stored them all in a under ground pit and when they had someone approach them to make as mentioned above weapons or tools then they would smelt them down and pour them into the various molds,so this is why you can find either pits that have all broken tools in or some with brand new ones in or 2 pits side by side,if that is the case then you will find within that area the furnace facilities more smelting the Bronze,maybe near a river or that type of location.But if one does find a single BA item its worth going back and checking the area thoroughly to see if you can find the other tell tale metal workings.

The trouble with BA items like Palstave axes and other weapons although they are usually much more resilient too corrosion like metal blades are they can suffer from something called Bronze disease which can eat away at the Bronze if not treated by a expert in that area.

When you handle some of these items of war like spear heads and Axes folks dont realise how sharp they still can be and when they come out of decent ground the patination on these BA items is simply stunning,BA folks had been the original recycling scrap business of its day.

Thats a lovely find and those Axe heads in the 2nd picture are pure works of art,one of my favourite time periods as well as Celtic.

 

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