PALSTAVE

A small copper alloy, perhaps miniature or 'model', Middle Bronze Age palstave axehead of Schmidt and Burgess 'unclassified low-flanged palstave' type with broad blade (group III) and without side loop, belonging to the Taunton phase of metalworking and corresponding to Needham's period 5, 1500-1150 BC. The flanges are a little worn (old damage) but the object is otherwise complete.
From the central stop ridge (13.5mm wide, 13.3mm thick) the blade has gently expanding straight sides, curving into a broad but flattish cutting edge 19.8mm wide (with possible old damage to one corner). Directly below the stop ridge on one face is a small hole 1.7mm deep, probably a bubble from the casting process. Below and running to the cutting edge are faint traces of a worn and wideish mid-rib. There are possible traces of this to the other face but it is not certain.
Above the stop ridge the butt end widens a little and narrows to 14.9mm x 1.9mm at the end, which is worn. The stop ridge projects 3.7mm above the butt end on either side.
The object measures 74.5mm in length, 19.9mm in max.width, 13.2mm in max.thickness and weighs 46.96g. The metal is dark grey in colour with some green patches, and is pitted on both faces. No casting flashes are visible to the sides of the object.
It is uncertain whether this object is a miniature axe intended for use (it seems rather small for axe-purpose but could have functioned as a wood-working too perhaps) or perhaps had use as a votive object; it is larger though in its 'model' form similar to miniature socketed axes (for eg. HAMP-657353) thought to have an amulet or votive function and believed to date between the Bronze Age to the Roman period (Robinson, P; 1995).