The National Museum of Ireland is urging the individual who discovered two axeheads, dating back to the Early Bronze Age, around 4,000 years ago, to make contact. The artefacts were received anonymously by the museum in late June, with an accompanying letter indicating they were uncovered in the Westmeath region via metal detecting. Despite expressing a wish for the museum to preserve the axes, the sender supplied no further information or means of contact.
The axeheads, which have been confirmed as Early Bronze Age flat axeheads by the NMI’s experts, came securely packed in foam and cardboard. These significant archaeological finds provide valuable insights into Ireland’s ancient history. However, the museum highlighted the need to determine the exact discovery location as this context is paramount in aiding archaeologists to piece together old settlement patterns and cultural norms.
The museum postulated the presence of more artefacts as these items were usually kept in collections in the past. Therefore, other significant antiquities may be located near the finding site of these axeheads. As part of a global study into Bronze Age metallurgy, the museum is keen on tracing the sources of the metals in these artefacts. The precise location of these axeheads could add invaluable data to this research.
Matt Seaver, the assistant keeper of Irish Antiquities at NMI, has expressed excitement over the uncovering of the axeheads, but reiterated the need to discover their original location to fully grasp their historical significance. He also stressed the public’s legal obligation to report such finds to the NMI as part of preserving these historical treasures for the nation and future generations. They highly value public cooperation in achieving this duty.
For information regarding these axeheads or any other archaeological findings, the museum can be reached at antiquitiesdo@museum.ie or via phone on 01-6777444. For an in-depth political discussion and analysis, tune into our podcast, ‘Inside Politics’.