Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1450 to -1250)
Found: Myddle and Broughton, Shropshire, Shropshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 149.4 mm
Weight: 451 g
Description: A cast copper alloy palstave with central rib, shield shaped pattern below the stop ridge, and raised flange facets. The palstave dates from the Middle Bronze Age (1500-1150 BC). It measures 149.4mm long and weighs 451 grams.






The blade of the palstave is sub-triangular in plan with convex expanding sides and a convex cutting edge. In profile the blade is sub-triangular with the widest section being before the stop ridge. The blade (measured from the cutting edge to the stop ridge) is 82.4mm long and the width of cutting edge is 58.2mm. The thickness of the blade tip is 7.2mm. The maximum thickness of the blade is 18.9mm (measured at a point below the stop ridge; the width at this point is 31.9mm). Beneath the stop-ridge, on both sides of the palstave, is a tapering central rib. This rib extends approximately half way down the length of the blade, terminating in a rounded point. The rib itself, although present on both sides, is crisper and less eroded on one of the two faces. Directly below the stop ridge is a concave depression which is bordered by raised ridges that join with the central rib to create a trident (3 pronged fork) like shield shape. The convex cutting edge of the blade is asymmetric with one side of the blade being more worn than the other. This is partially due to considerable movement in the ploughsoil and corrosion. On the lower part of the blade and the cutting edge are a series of small irregular crescent shaped hammer marks / scars which are most evident in oblique light. Many of these scars overlap. This suggests that the cutting edge has been reshaped and sharpened by hammering a number of times.






The rear part of the axe (from the stop ridge to the butt) is sub-rectangular in plan and sub-triangular in section (profile) with the widest part behind the stop ridge. The septum (the area between the flange facets and the stop ridge) is 65.1mm long, 16.3mm wide and 7.2mm thick. The butt of the axe has been damaged and is incomplete. The width at the butt is 24.8mm. The flange facets are fused to the stop ridge forming two raised elements to haft the axe by. The facets on each side of the axe differ from one another. However, one face of the axe has been severally damaged by abrasion and corrosion which renders comparison between the two faces difficult. Both sides of the axe are scarred with the remains of linear ribs which extend from the butt to the cutting edge. These ribs are from the two part mold used to cast the axe. Both edges have been trimmed and filed to remove any excess metal.






The palstave is a mid brown colour with a thick well formed patina which covers part of the surface of the axe. In a number of places the patina has been removed by abrasion, where this has occurred a light bright green copper corrosion has developed. It is likely that this corrosion has spread and affected 50% of the surface of the axe. The majority of the abrasion is located on one face of the axe. This confirms the finders' suggestion that the axe was located just above the interface between the ploughsoil and the undisturbed layers beneath. It is also noted that the weight of this axehead is extremely heavy in comparison to other similar examples; this is especially the case when the abrasion and damage is taken into account. Similar examples to this palstave can be seen in: Savory, 1980; Catalogue of the Bronze Age collections in the National Museum of Wales; entry 151 from Ceulan-y-maesmawr, Cardiganshire. This form and style of palstave fits into the Acton Park metal working tradition which is dated to the first phase of the Middle Bronze Age (MBA I) 1450-1250 BC.






Find recorded from the Myddle Metal Detecting Rally
Subsequent action: Returned to finder