NOTE ON AN ANVIL AND A PALSTAVE 43

Note on an Anvil and a Palstave found at Flax Bourton,

By S. J JONES, M.A.

The objects figured (Plate 7), \\( 're brought to the notice of the writer by Mr. Alexander, of the Waterworks Company, and were found during the digging of a trench at Flax Bourton, near Bristol. The foreman in charge of the operations thought there were slight ev idences of bone fragments associated with them, but upon this point no definite information has been obtained. Anvils are apparently very rare in the British Isles. None have been found in Wales, and no details of any possible finds in have yet been obtained. There is a small and rather delicately ma.de specimen from , now in the British l'l'1useum. Another from the Kyle of Oykel, Sutherlandshire, has bCl'n figured by Ander­ son. 1 The latter has weil marked grooves or " swages" on one face, which may have been used for beating out pins. A specimen from Fresne la Mere , near Falaise, Calvados, has similar grooves, and also small oval depressions, which may have been used for making pin heads. 2 Stone anvils occur in the Swiss lake dwellings, an excellent example from Moeringen, consisting of a well poli shed pebble of serpentine, inserted into a piece of wood, being figured by Gross.:! E vans suggested that socketed hammers mounted on straight stakes may have been used as hand anvils/ and such a hammer from Nidau-Steinberg was illustrated as an anvil by Reller. I A piece of bronze, weighing IO!t 02S., from Auvernier, narrowing at one end to form a projection, is probably one of the earliest of this type of anvil." That the projection replaced the stake is a speculation which may bear further in vestigation. Comparisons with illustrations in the most accessible sources suggest that the presence of a small second projection, the absence of swages, and the wedge-like shape of the main body of the tool may be features of great interest in the Flax BO Ul-ton find, but a detailed discussion of typology is not desirable at the present stage. Both the anvil and the palstave are of bronze. The latter is a fairly earl y example , wthout loops and with a low stop ri dge . Its occurrence with the anvil which is probably of later date is a matter of some interest . 44 i'iOTE ON AN A;-"VIL ,,,)1D A PALSTAVE

I am indebted to 11r. Reginald Smith, and to Mr. J D. Kendrick, both of the British Museum, to Dr. A. Malir, Keeper of the Irish Antiquities in the National "'.lllseum of Ireland, and to Dr. Cyril Fox, of the National Museum of Waks, for information and suggestions. Further information concerning similar finds would be much appreciated by the writer. I

Anderson" Scotland in P agan :rimes," p p. 204 -5. Evans, " Allcient Bronze I mplements." Gross, "Les JJ rotohelvctes ." 4 Keller, " The Lake DweUings of Switzerland and oth,y p (/ ';-/s of E urope," p. 145. Keller, loco cit., pp. 241 - 2. Figured a lso b y Gross.

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PLATE VII. Anvil and Palstave. 44 :\OTE ON AN ANVIL A)lD A PALSTAVE

I am indebted to Mr. Reginald Sm ith, and to Mr. J D. Kendrick, both of the British Museum, to Dr. A. iYIalir, I":'(:l:per of the Irish Antiquities in the National lI-Iuseum of Ireland, and to Dr. Cyril Fox, of the National Museum of Wales, for information and suggestions. Further information concerning similar tinds would be much appreciated by the writer. I

I Anderson " S cotland in P agan Times," pp. 204- 5. Evans, "A ncient Bronze I mplements." :\ Gross, " L es P y%helvetes." 4 Keller, " T he L ake J)we lt iJ1l~S oj Switzerland and oth er parts of E urope, " p. 145 . K eller, lac. cit ., pp. 24 1- 2. Figured also b y Gross.

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PLATE VII. Anvil and Palstave.