Rights Holder: Birmingham Museums Trust
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Unique ID: WMID-CF81FB
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
An incomplete cast copper alloy (bronze) flat axe of Early Bronze Age dating (c. 2350 BC to c. 2050 BC).
The flat axe is broadly sub rectangular in shape with an incomplete rounded shaped blade. In profile it is broadly lentoid, with tapering edges. The butt is relatively thin having a narrow rounded profile; the width at the butt is 12.0 mm (thickness: 2.4 mm). The sides of the axe gently expand in width from the butt to the blade; in shape they are relatively straight. The axe is thickest at the mid point (6.0 mm), with no sign of a proto stop ridge. The sides of the blade expand to produce a rounded blade edge with an abraded width of 34.4 mm (thickness 3.6 mm).
The axe is a mid to dark green colour, with an uneven surface patina. Abrasion, caused by movement whilst within the ploughsoil, has resulted in a loss of some of the original surface detail.
It measures 72.5 mm in length, maximum width at the blade is 34.4 mm, width at the butt is 12.0 mm and it has a maximum thickness of 6.0 mm. It weighs 48.6 grams.
The axehead is best described as coming from the first phases of the Early Bronze Age and is comparable to (although not containing all the attributes of Migdale axes (many of these tend to have narrower butts which flare at the cutting edge).
These axes all fit within the earliest phases of metal working in Britain, metalworking stage II, which corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 2 circa 2350- 2050 CAL. BC. This means that they are dated, broadly, to the same period as Beaker pottery, barbed and tanged flint arrowheads, copper halberds and gold lunulae.
Reference:
Needham, S. (1996) Chronology and Periodisation in the British Bronze Age. Acta Archaeologia, vol 67, pp121-140
Schmidt, P.K. & Burgess, C.B. 1981. The Axes of Scotland and Northern England. Prahistorische Bronzefunde. Abteilung IX. Band 7. C.H. Beck'Sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Munchen. p.46-47.
This is a find of note and has been designated: County / local importance
Class: Migdale type. Biggar variant
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: BRONZE AGE
Date from: Circa 2350 BC
Date to: Circa 2050 BC
Quantity: 1
Length: 72.5 mm
Width: 34.4 mm
Thickness: 6 mm
Weight: 48.6 g
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 15th April 2016 - Saturday 16th April 2016
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Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
4 Figure: SK6653
Four figure Latitude: 53.07016877
Four figure longitude: -1.01641512
1:25K map: SK6653
1:10K map: SK65SE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.