FLANGED AXEHEAD

A copper alloy flanged axehead of Early Middle Bronze Age date of later short-flanged axe of Type Ulcrome. The axehead dates to c. Acton Park II / Taunton phase of early MBA which corresponds to Needham typology date is c. 1600-1300 BC.

The object has a very slight stop ridge, expanded flanges, a convex cutting edge and a rounded butt end. The axe is H-shaped in cross-section.

The blade of the object is sub-triangular in plan with convex expanding sides, and a convex cutting edge. The cutting edge has sharp corners. The cutting edge measures 55.53mm in width and is 1.12mm thick. In profile the blade is sub-triangular with the widest section being before the slight stop ridge. The object measures 29.66mm in width and 23.46mm thick at the slight stop ridge. The low stop ridge don't seem especially fused to the cast side flanges hotwever flanges terminate in line with the stop ridge.

The axehead has a shield shaped decoration below the stop ridge similar to that of the primary /early palstave - Group I shield shaped axes. The flanges have been damaged by the plough in recent times and are slightly distorted. The flanges measure 62.27mm in length, 27.30mm wide, 4.67mm thick and are 10.05mm deep and the tallest part. The point of the flanges on either face when viewed in profile are not symmetrical.

The butt end is rounded and very thin measuring 24.01mm in width and 0.74mm thick. A large oval hole perforates the butt end, possibly due to corrosion and damage within the plough soil. The perforation measures 6.32mm in length and 4.09mm in width. Several other large corroded depressions and pitting cover each face of the object.