Museum appeals for information on anonymously donated Bronze Age axeheads

The National Museum of Ireland has issued an appeal after 4,000-year-old Early Bronze Age axeheads were sent anonymously to the museum at the end of June.

The sender had fashioned packaging from a cardboard box of Flahavans Flapjacks with foam inserts inside cut to the exact size of the axeheads, each one smaller than the palm of a person’s hand.

They were accompanied by a letter stating they were discovered in the Westmeath area using a metal detector.

The museum has dated the axeheads to around 2150-2000 BC.

The sender said they wished for the axeheads to be conserved by the Museum but did not provide any contact details or further specifics.

The museum said the axeheads were “thoughtfully packed in foam cut-outs and cardboard, ensuring their safe arrival.”

More: rte.ie/news/2024/0713/1459683-national-museum-axeheads/

From the National Museum:
museum.ie/en-IE/News/Appeal-for-information-about-Bronze-Age-Axeheads-F