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Description: | A Middle Bronze Age cast copper alloy shield palstave axe. A primary palstave of Group I - shield patterned type. The axe is broadly rectangular in plan with relatively straight sides which flare shallowly from the butt then more steeply from the stop ridge to the upper blade tips. The sides expand to form a wide crescentic cutting edge. In profile the palstave is sub lentoid with the thickest section being at the stop ridges, from where it tapers down to form the butt and blade. The profile differs from most other shield palstave axes on the database in that the pronounced bulge around the stop ridge is more localised. The blade, measured from the apex of the cutting edge to the stop ridge, is 92mm long on face A (82mm on face B) and the width of cutting edge from tip to tip is 55.73mm. The thickness of the blade tip is approximately 3mm. The maximum thickness of the blade, measured at the stop ridge, is 33.75mm and the width at this point is 24mm. A sub-triangular shaped dishing is present on both faces, but it is quite poorly defined on face B. This depression has been interpreted as a form of shield pattern, although it is more likely to be the result of the casting process, with face A being more crisply cast than face B. The rear part of the axe (from the stop ridge to the butt) is sub-rectangular in plan and irregular in profile. In section the butt has an H shaped cross section. The rear section of the palstave on face A measures 60.25mm long with a maximum width of 23.85mm (face B is 66.7mm and maximum width is 25mm). The septum (the area between the flange facets and the stop ridge) on face A is 56.25mm long and 19mm wide (face B is 63.15mm long and 18.8mm wide). The butt of the axe is complete with the rear edge being slightly concave. The width at the butt is 22.75mm. The flange facets are broadly sub-triangular (an irregular arc) in shape they are at their highest point before the junction with the stop ridge and they also project onto the upper blade beyond the stop-ridge. The stop ridge is full height on face B but somewhat lower than the flanges in the centre on face A. The ridges are fused to the flanges on both faces and this forms the two raised elements used to haft the axe. The facets on each side of the axe differ from one another. The junction between the septum and stop ridge is shallowly crescentic on both faces. The base of the septum hollow on face A, near the junction with the stop ridge, was dirt filled when recorded. At the same point on face B there is a depression which slightly undercuts the ridge. Possibly a casting flaw or blow hole. The axe was found on a site that appears to have waterlogged in antiquity, suggesting that it may have been intentionally deposited at a liminal boundary - a common feature of wetland deposition in prehistoric Britain.The total length is 153.94mm, maximum width 55.73mm, maximum thickness 33.75mm, and the weight is 341g.Dates from c1500 to c1300 BC.Shares similarities with NMGW-844D42, WMID-755304, LVPL-7AED06 and WAW-719BD3 amongst others.The palstave axe fits best with the Acton Park II and Taunton metalworking assemblages (Needham Period 5) - both assemblages fit within Burgess's Metal Working Stage VIII and IX. Similar examples to this palstave can be seen in: Savory, 1980; Catalogue of the Bronze Age collections in the National Museum of Wales; Figs 19-20 cat no 132 Llanfair-mathafarn-eithaf, Anglesey / Yns Mon and 139-142 Chepstow, Glos, Llanddaniel-fab (Anglesey) and Caernarvonshire respectively. Burgess and Schmidt (1981: pp 117-125) explore the dating and known distribution of this form of early palstave which is relatively common in North Wales, The Marches and Cheshire plain.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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