Rights Holder: Somerset County Council
CC License:
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
Unique ID: SOM-4B2D06
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Middle Bronze Age cast copper-alloy palstave (axehead) probably of unlooped type .The palstave is very corroded, with most of the butt lost and some of the blade and little of the original surface remaining. It does however appear to be unusually narrow, especially given its length. The septum is distictly thinner than the blade with parts of a stop ridge surviving on one face. The flanges appear to have been shallow on the butt, widening abruptly at the top ridge but that may be the result of wear and damage. The widest point is just beyond the stop ridge after which the sides thin rapidly again on the blade giving a lozenge shaped profile. There is no evidence for a loop but no surviving surface int his area to confirm the absence.
The blade is a thin rectangular in cross-section with sides that are almost parallel at first belown starting to shallowly curve outwards towards the wider cutting edge. The corners of the cutting edge are completely worn and missing so it is not clearhow wide it was originally. The small length of surviving blade is convex but again very worn. The blade thins abruptly after the stop and then more gradually to the cutting edge. On the side with better survival there is possibly an indent after the stop but it not very clear and appears to be a simply indent between the flanges rather than a shield shape. The palstave now measures 89.7mm long in total, only 20.3mm survives from the butt to stop ridge. It is 22.8mm wide at the blade, 18.7mm at the stop. It is 18.8mm thick at the thickest point and the septum is 5.8mm thick; it weighs 85.3g.
The palstave appears probably plain or with a slight indent and dates in general to the Middle Bronze Age, most likely within the Taunton or possibly Penard metalwork assemblages, that is c. 1400-1150BC but it is not possible to be more precise due to the amount of corrosion which obscures the form.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod to: Middle
Period to: BRONZE AGE
Date from: Circa 1400 BC
Date to: Circa 1150 BC
Quantity: 1
Length: 89.7 mm
Width: 22.8 mm
Thickness: 18.8 mm
Weight: 85.3 g
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 11th March 2017 - Saturday 20th May 2017
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference: SCC receipt 17368
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.