Later Bronze Age, ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM ANVIL, jeweller's stake. Reproduction

In 1999 I was pleased to be given the opportunity to work with the Department of Antiquities, Ashmolean Museum. Cambridge.The work involved study of Bronze Age tools, hammers and anvils , facilitated by Dr. Andrew Sherratt..I have to thank Mr. N.A. Griffiths of Wilton for his beautiful drawings of the original.This particular tool just shows the range of creative work being undertaken by bronze smiths or goldsmiths at the time.Goldsmiths are not referred to lightly. Generally, the hammers and anvils are of less weight that axes of the time, more suited to the manufacture of slight or delicate metal forms or the re-working of cutting edges.This anvil (jewellers stake) has the ability to produce nine different form sections. and two different gauges of pinhead, in addition to the angled flat upper surfaces,, which would have been used to re-work cutting edges. The 'L' form allows both working arms to function as tangs. The stake is 95 x 70 mm and weighs 336g.The last photo shows the stake in relation to other metal workers tools I have available.