FLAT AXEHEAD

Early Bronze Age bronze Flat Axe, possibly of Type Migdale (Schmidt & Burgess, 1981, p 35-44)[1], of Metalworking Assemblage III, corresponding to Needham's (1996)[2] Period 2 -3 and probably dating to c. 2,200 - 1,900BC.

The axe is incomplete, missing the butt and with peripheral damage (with a surviving length of 103.3mm and a weight of 264.2g). The break at the butt occurred in antiquity and there is the suggestion of bending towards one of the faces, prior to breaking. The axe is of rectangular section at the break (with a width of 26.4mm and a thickness of 8.3mm), which is flat and at a slight angle to the sides. The sides curve gently towards the blade for most of the length before curving more sharply at the blade. The blade tips are eroded (giving the blade a width of 60.8mm) and the blade edge is comparatively straight, now appearing to be angled although the original blade edge does not survive. The axe has a consistent rectangular section with no surviving evidence for developed features. Both faces are gently convex across their lengths before thinning at the blade.

Analysis to ascertain the elemental composition of the axe and was carried out[3] using a CamScan MaXim 2040 analytical scanning electron microscope (SEM), with an Oxford Instruments Inca energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX). The results show the metal composition is a tin-bronze alloy (with mean readings of copper: 87.08% and tin: 12.27%), with a significant trace of antimony (with a mean reading of 1.25%) and nickel (with a mean reading of 0.24%), but no arsenic. The lack of arsenic as an impurity makes the alloy difficult to fit into Northover's (1980, p 229-243 )[4] Early Bronze Age metal groups but the comparatively high levels of Nickel may suggest that the alloy is closer to his 'G' metal.

The highly-corroded and incomplete state of the axe makes typological identification difficult. However, the lack of any surviving developed features and the simple, curved-sided form to the axe are suggestive of Type Migdale dating to c. 2,200 - 1,900BC.

[1] Schmidt, P.K. & Burgess, C. 1981; The Axes of Scotland and Northern Ireland, Praähistorische Bronzefunde Abteilung IX, 7. Band 7

[2] Needham, S. 1996; Chronology and Periodisation in the British Bronze Age , Acta Archaeologica 67, p. 121-140

[3] By Mary Davis; Senior Conservator, Amgueddfa Cymru

[4] Northover, J.P.; 1980; The Analysis Of Welsh Bronze Age Metalwork; Appendix in H.N. Savory, A Guide Collection of the Bronze Age Collections; National Museum of Wales