FLAT AXEHEAD

Cast bronze (copper alloy) flat axe of early Bronze Age date (2000-1700BC). The axe is small (diminutive) but is complete with very little wear. In plan the axe is broadly rectangular with an expanded and splayed crescentic cutting edge and thin rounded (D shaped) butt. In profile the axe has a distinct lentoid shape. In section the axe is broadly rectangular (rectangular with rounded edges) and there are no signs of raised flanges or hafting augmentation. At the mid-point of the axe is a slight median swelling / bevel / proto stop-ridge. The long edges of the axe expand gently from the butt until they splay to form the crescent shaped blade. The tips of which have been worn / abraded as has the blade edge itself. However it is likely that the axe had been worn and used prior to deposition, with the blade shape being slightly distorted by use. The side of the axe are relatively uniform and there is no evidence of a cast seam. There is no evidence for cast or applied / punched decoration. The axe is a mid green colour with a highly polished but abraded patina, which has been damaged in areas. Where this had occurred it is probably as a direct result of movement in the plough soil. This abrasion is most evident of the blade of the axe. There are also a series of small pock marks / holes present especially around the butt - these are most likely to be a result of corrosion in the soil. The axehead is best described as coming from the later phases of the Early Bronze Age of metalworking stage IV-V (more likely V) specifically within the early developed flat axe tradition which corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 3 circa 2000 - 1700 CAL. BC. This axe is very similar to those identified as either Type Migdale Variant Biggar (Burgess and Schmidt: plate 19. 235 Caithness and 236 Tarland) although on this type the blade doesn't expand to create such distinct blade tips. The other parallel is with the Developed Axe series, Type Aylesford (ibid plate 27 .315 Wanford and .316 Angram Farm). It should be noted though that all these parallels are larger than this example.

The overall length is 69.9mm and the axe weighs 43.58 grams. The butt measures 14.4mm width and is 1.6mm thick. The width of the axe at the median bevel is 20.1mm and thickness 6.2mm. The width at the crescentic blade is 33.1mm.