Little Thetford flesh-hook

The artefact was found by a Mr Dresser, whilst digging a ditch on reclaimed fenland, at Little Thetford in 1929. Discovered about {{convert|9|ft|m}} down, it consisted of two-parts, connected by the remains of a wooden shaft. The wood remains have not survived; a contemporary wooden shaft has been added by the British Museum for display purposes. The artefact is in the British Museum though is not, as of 2012, on display.{{Cite web | last = Bowman| first = S | title = Late Bronze Age flesh hook, Little Thetford | publisher = Cambridgeshire HER | url = http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCB8392&resourceID=1000 | access-date = 27 June 2010}} Within {{convert|1|sqmi|km2}} of Little Thetford, there have been 33 finds of various kinds over the years,{{Cite web | title = Heritage Gateway home | publisher = Cambridgeshire HER | url = http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/ | access-date = 27 June 2010}} such as flints{{Cite web | last = Ely Museum | title = Neolithic polished flint axe, Little Thetford | publisher = Cambridgeshire HER | year = 1984 | url = http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCB2673&resourceID=1000 | access-date = 26 June 2010}} from the Neolithic era through to a windmill{{Cite web | last = Hughes| first = H C | title = Late Medieval windmill | publisher = Cambridgeshire HER | url = http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCB8395&resourceID=1000 | access-date = 27 June 2010}} of the late Medieval period.

The word flesh-hook is relatively modern. The OED gives the origin of the word as 1325 AD, and defines it as a metal hook with a long stail,A handle, esp. a long slender handle, as the handle of a rake, etc. {{Cite web | title = Oxford English Dictionary: 'Stail' | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 2010 | url = http://dictionary.oed.com/ | access-date = 27 June 2010}} used to pull hides out of tan-pits or as a hook for pulling meat from the pot.{{Cite web | title = Oxford English Dictionary: 'flesh-hook | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 2010 | url = http://dictionary.oed.com/ | access-date = 27 June 2010}} It may also have been used as a tool to prod animals.{{Cite web | title = A guide to the Antinquities of London: Bronze flesh-hook | publisher = The British Museum | year = 1920 | url = https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_prb/b/bronze_flesh-hook.aspx | access-date = 27 June 2010}} The use of this flesh-hook in the Bronze Age can only be speculated.

The metal used in the construction is a bronze alloy, found to be typical of the late Bronze Age. The material was analysed using ICP{{spaced ndash}}AES and contained (approximately) 85% copper, 10% tin, 3% lead, and 2% impurities; although the constituents of the individual parts varied around these figures.{{Cite journal | last = Bowman | first = S | title = The Dunaverney and Little Thetford flesh-hooks: history, technology and their position within the later Bronze Age atlantic zone feasting complex | journal = The Antiquaries Journal | year = 2007 | publisher = Society of Antiquaries of London | volume = 87 | pages = 53–108 | doi = 10.1017/S0003581500000846 | url = http://www.sal.org.uk/books/theantiquariesjournal/volume872007/ | access-date = 27 June 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100824195732/http://www.sal.org.uk/books/theantiquariesjournal/volume872007/ | archive-date = 24 August 2010 | url-status = dead }} From an analysis of 36 other Bronze-Age flesh-hooks known to be in existence,{{Cite journal | last = Needham | first = Stuart |author2=Sheridan Bowman | title = Flesh-Hooks, Technological Complexity and the Atlantic Bronze Age Feasting Complex | year = 2005 | journal = European Journal of Archaeology | volume = 8 | issue = 2 | pages = 93–136 | url = http://eja.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/8/2/93 | doi = 10.1177/1461957105066936 | access-date = 27 June 2010}} the assembled length of hook-part, butt-end, and missing wood part is speculated to be {{convert|2.5|ft|m}}.

The artefact was manufactured by casting, using a mould in a lost-wax (cire perdue) process.

{{see also|Prehistory}}

The British Museum dates the artefact within the Bronze Age 1150{{spaced ndash}}950 BC.{{Cite web | title = flesh-hook | publisher = The British Museum | year = 2010 | url = https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objectid=814326&partid=1&searchText=little+thetford&fromADBC=ad&toADBC=ad&numpages=10&orig=%2fresearch%2fsearch_the_collection_database.aspx¤tPage=1 | access-date = 27 June 2010}} The Cambridgeshire Historic Environment Record database dates the artefact as late Bronze Age 1000–701 BC.

• Dunaverney flesh-hook
• Lost wax casting

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110720074508/http://www.templeresearch.eclipse.co.uk/bronze/intro.htm Introduction to Bronze age]
• [http://wildlifeart.org/Foundry/index2.html Lost wax casting explained]

{{British-Museum-object|1929,0415.1|id=814326}}

{{Use British English|date = March 2019}}

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Category:Archaeological artifacts

Category:Bronze Age England

Category:Prehistoric objects in the British Museum

Category:Bronzeware

Category:History of Cambridgeshire

Category:Bronze Age Europe