Axeheads, rings and ornament

These bronze objects are from a hoard found at Poolewe in Ross-shire. It contained five axeheads, three rings (two pictured here) and an ornament. They were buried sometime between 950 and 750 BC.

All of the axes have sockets. One is decorated with three lines and pellets. Two of the axeheads are fragmentary. The ornament with cup-shaped ends resembles gold examples from this period.

Some hoards were buried with rare and unusual objects, probably as offerings to the gods. In the late Bronze Age period, a range of objects were included in these votive hoards. People or tribes may have competed to make the richest offerings.

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