A collection of rare Bronze Age axe heads discovered in Cornwall (England) has gone on display in Truro after a campaign to keep the relics in the county. The 3,000-year-old artifacts were found in perfect condition, buried in a clay pot at Mylor near Falmouth during a search using metal detectors. The collection would have gone to the British Museum but the Royal Cornwall Museum raised about £10,000 to keep it. The find is believed to be the biggest of its type in Cornwall.
     Conservator Laura Ratcliffe said: "All finds like this would normally go to the British Museum, but they were so special we wanted to keep them for Cornwall. To get such a large collection in one place is pretty unusual. It's the biggest hoard to come out of Cornwall by a long shot." The axe heads, all found in pristine condition, are thought to have been buried on purpose thousands of years ago. Ms Ratcliffe said: "It could have been for security purposes or ritual, we just don't know."

Source: BBC News (14 January 2009)