FLANGED AXEHEAD

Bronze Age bronze butt fragment from an axe of uncertain type but of Developed Axe or Palstave form

The axe is represented by a butt fragment only, broken at one end (with a surviving length of 32.4mm and a weight of 28.4g). The butt end is rounded but may be truncated and thins to an edge (with a width of 19.5mm and a thickness of 0.8mm). The sides are straight and slightly divergent to the break (with a maximum width of 21.9mm and a thickness of 7.7mm). The sides are convex across their thicknesses with the suggestion of a casting seam on the pitted surface. The flanges begin near the butt and are slightly convex along the short length to the break and are probably slightly eroded and truncated (giving the axe a maximum surviving depth of 9.9mm with a height above the septum of 1mm). The break occurred in antiquity. The surface has a dark-green patina where it survives and is heavily pitted.

The fragmentary nature of the axe makes typological identification difficult. The butt form would be consistent with slender-butted Developed flat axes, From Type Aylesford (Schmidt & Burgess, 1981) from the Early Bronze Age through to Late Palstaves, of Ewart Park Metalworking in the Late Bronze Age.

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