Object: Hoard (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1400 to -1150)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Manston, Thanet, Kent (South East)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Description: A hoard of 10 copper alloy palstave axeheads, found in one spot, described as 'one hole' and therefore possibly a pit deposit. The artefacts have been numbered 1-10 for the following catalogue.



Description:



1) Palstave axehead. A complete copper alloy axehead in good condition, with corrosion of the surface visible. Requires further conservation to remove the remaining soil. The butt is slightly damaged, with a small chip missing from one corner. The flanges start to rise gradually, in a convex curve from the butt, fusing to the stop bar at the maximum height above the septum. The body of the axe is narrow and expands into a triangular blade which flares slightly. The cutting edge is relatively complete except for small pockets of corrosion damage along the cutting edge. The cutting edge is asymmetrical which suggests use and possible resharpening, with one blade tip slightly rounded. Both faces are corroded but a small sub-triangular depression below the stop bar, surrounded by a raised triangle can be seen, notwithstanding the corrosion and remaining soil.



Dimensions -



Blade width: 67mm, axe length: 167mm, stop bar width: 23mm, flange width at stop bar: 31mm, butt width: min 16mm, weight: 506g.





2) Palstave axehead. A complete Palstave axehead in two sections, broken diagonally below the butt. Corrosion is visible over the surface with growths on one blade surface.  The cross section across the break reveals a U-shaped septum. The flanges rise from the butt end to the stop bar which is raised. Parts of the flanges are damaged (on one side more so) due to corrosion. The separate butt end is asymmetrical in shape, with one corner quite rounded and the other irregular due to damage, suggesting a degree or wear prior to further corrosion-related damage. Both faces of the break reveal a pitted interior to the metal, which may have caused this area of weakness leading to a break. Casting seams are visible along both sides of the body of the axe, which appear to have been polished off the blade edges closer to the cutting edge. The blade is slightly asymmetrical which suggests some degree of wear along with rounded blade tips. A sub-triangular depression is identifiable beneath the stop bar on each face. On one face a linear depression extends from this area, which could indicate ancient damage. Other marks are found on both faces and the cutting edge but could relate to corrosion or the recovery of the artefacts.



Dimensions -



Blade width:71mm, section 1 length (butt): 34.5mm, section 2 length (axe body): 134mm, axe length (total): 168.5mm, stop bar width: 20.5mm, flange width at stop bar: 31mm, butt width: min 16mm, weight (section 1): 45g, weight (section 2): 414g, weight (total): 459g.





3) Palstave axehead. A complete copper alloy Palstave axehead, with surface corrosion visible, and some soil remaining on the item, therefore requiring some conservation. The butt is slightly rounded would could suggest some wear. Triangular flanges, with slight corrosion-related damage, rise from the butt end to the stop bar which is the point of maximum height above the septum. Below the septum is a hollow, just visible on both faces but obscured by dried earth and corrosion. The narrow body of the butt end expands into a triangular blade with a slight flare of the blade tips. The cutting edge is slightly asymmetrical with some recent damage to the corroded metal edge. There are a few small hollows visible on the blade surface and within the septum which could be a result of impurities in the cast metal or as a result of corrosion.



Dimensions -



Blade width: 75mm, axe length: 176mm, stop bar width: 25mm, flange width at stop bar: 28mm, butt width: 20mm, weight: 475g.





4) Palstave axehead.  A complete copper alloy palstave axehead. The butt is damaged in the centre, the flanges rise from here to the stop bar giving a convex side profile. Below the stop bar is a depression with a raised shield design, consisting of three raised linear lines contained within a raised shield outline. The design appears on both faces. The blade is triangular but flares on one side towards the blade tip, the corresponding tip has no flare but is also damaged and corroded - this tip is also the lower side of the asymmetrical cutting edge. There are chips along the cutting edge which could be a mixture of ancient damage and metal corrosion, but a sharpened blade facet is visible beneath the corrosion and dried earth.



Dimensions -



Blade width:66.5mm, axe length: 162.5mm, stop bar width: 22mm, flange width at stop bar: 31mm, butt width: 16.5mm (damaged), weight: 456g.





5) Palstave axehead. A complete copper alloy axehead with surface corrosion. One face appears to be in a better condition than the reverse side. The butt is damaged in the centre, with one corner also missing - this damage appears to be ancient. The flanges rise in a slight convex curve towards the stop bar. Beneath the stop bar appears to be a small depression in a sub-triangular shape at the top of the blade face. The blade itself expands into a triangular shaped blade with slight flaring towards the blade tips. The cutting edge appears quite straight suggesting wear in the central section.



Dimensions -



Blade width: 71mm, axe length: 173mm, stop bar width: 22mm, flange width at stop bar: 26mm, butt width: 19mm (damaged), weight: 478g.





6) Palstave axehead.  A complete copper alloy Palstave axehead. The axe has a square butt end, with flanges rising in a convex fashion towards the stop bar from c.2cm from the butt. The body and butt end of the axe is narrow before expanding out into a crinoline blade. On both faces the blade facet can be seen as a result of sharpening the cutting edge. The cutting edge itself is almost complete with small areas of damage (probably due to corrosion). Beneath the stop bar is a small sub-triangular depression. It may be possible to see usewear marks on the cutting edge once the axe has been conserved.



Dimensions -



Blade width: 70mm, axe length: 173mm, stop bar width: 21mm, flange width at stop bar:, butt width: 20mm, weight: 444g.





7) Palstave axehead.  A complete copper alloy Palstave axehead in good condition apart from areas of surface corrosion, particularly on the lower half of the blade. The butt end is slightly damaged on one corner, possibly in antiquity. The flanges rise from the butt end to the stop bar, creating a triangular side profile. The blade is triangular with an asymmetrical cutting edge, although there is little damage to the blade itself. One blade tip is missing, and apart from this small area of damage and the slight damage to the butt, the axe is complete. A clear raised triangular design sits beneath the stop bar, consisting of two raised linear bands with a central depression, the design is visible on both axe faces.



Dimensions -



Blade width: 68mm, axe length: 181mm, stop bar width: 22mm, flange width at stop bar: 32mm, butt width: 18mm, weight: 503g.





8) Palstave axehead.  A complete copper alloy Palstave axehead. The butt is damaged slightly but largely complete, and flanges rise towards the stop bar creating a slightly convex side profile. Beneath the stop bar is a sub-triangular indentation, visible on both blade faces. The blade itself expands and flares outwards towards the blade tips. The cutting edge is damaged with a number of chips along its length, some modern and possibly occurring during recovery, others perhaps ancient and prior to deposition. A blade facet is visible on both sides, showing sharpening had occurred to shape the cutting edge.



Dimensions -



Blade width: 74.5mm, axe length: 178mm, stop bar width: 22mm, flange width at stop bar: 27mm, butt width: 20mm, weight: 491g.





9) Palstave axehead. A complete copper alloy Palstave axehead, with no signs of physical damage other than that related to corrosion. The butt is square, with flanges rising from the butt end to the stop bar, creating a triangular side profile. The blade is triangular, and flares slightly towards the blade tips. The blade side appears to be rounded. Below the stop bar a small sub-triangular depression is visible on one face, whereas on the reverse face the depression would appear more circular in shape. The surface of the blade shows evidence of corrosion, but the cutting edge is complete apart from some corrosion-related flaking.



Dimensions -



Blade width: 71mm, axe length: 181mm, stop bar width: 25mm, flange width at stop bar: mm, butt width: 20mm, weight: 529g.





10) Palstave axehead. A complete copper alloy axehead. The axe shows evidence of corrosion, particularly on the lower half of the blade face. The butt is square with some damage to the corners and the centre. The flange side profile is triangular, with nicks prominent along the line of the stop bar. The casting seam is also visible along the flange sides on the butt end of the axe. The blade is triangular but flares towards the blade tips, one of which is missing, and appears to have been damaged in antiquity. The cutting edge is asymmetrical but largely complete suggesting it was resharpened in antiquity. The design beneath the stop bar is a small triangular depression, surrounded by anther incised triangular design, creating the illusion of a raised triangle. This is particularly clear on one face, however the reverse face is likely to be of a similar design, but is obscured through remaining earth and corrosion.



Dimensions -



Blade width: 68mm, axe length: 177mm, stop bar width: 24mm, flange width at stop bar: 27mm, butt width: 18mm, weight: 480g.







Identification/discussion: 



The axeheads described above (Nos.1-10) are all identifiable as palstave axeheads which belonging to the Middle Bronze Age period (c.1400-1150 cal BC). The axes within this hoard all suffer with surface corrosion obscuring the original surface of the blade, making usewear analysis difficult;





The palstaves Nos. 1-3, 5-6 & 8-9, are comparable to those placed within Rowlands 'class 3 group 1' including a similar axe surviving in a hoard from Goudhurst, Kent (see Rowlands 1976: pl 2 (85) no.3, and p. 247). Rowlands class 3 are characterised by a U-shaped septum profile, low triangular or slightly convex flanges, a straight sided triangular or crinoline blade and a triangular depression or ribbed motif beneath the stop bar (Rowlands 1976: 32-33). Group 1 and 2 within class 3 are divided based on blade width, being 7-8cm and 5-6cm respectively, placing the above axes between the two, but probably within group 1. Using the PAS Palstave Guide these examples would be categorised as 'group 2' ('early palstaves' https://finds.org.uk/guides/bronzeage/objects/axes [accessed 12/10/17]). A number of the axes within this hoard which sit within this category have blades which slightly flare towards the blade tips and are not purely triangular in shape. Axes Nos.1,2,5-6 & 8 all have identifiable sub-triangular motifs, whereas axes Nos.3 & 9 are slightly different in how clear the motif is. No.9 has one side which appears to be a more circular depression in comparison to the reverse side motif.





Axe No.10 has an unusual triangular design, which is difficult to identify. This axe is directly comparable with axe No.1& 5 from 2017 T459, with the clear triangular design and axe size being almost identical, apart from the direction of curve of the blade sides. Examples with similar designs can be found in O'Connor 1980, which includes a looped Palstave with similar v-shaped ornamentation from the Gable Head Hoard (O'Connor 1980: p321-2, Fig.6 No.25), and a broken Palstave with V-ornament from the Marshall Estate Hoard, Sussex (O'Connor 1980, p.328, Fig.14, No12). Although similar in design, these published examples are not quite identical. Axe No.7 is similar in that there appears to be a raised triangular design, however there is no corresponding outer incised line.





Axe No.4 has a clear shield design, composed of a raised shield outline with 3 linear ribs within, running in the direction of the axe.  A comparable example is an axe from Lower Swanwick, a hoard of four palstaves buried in a pit (Rowlands 1976: 240). Axe 1 from this site has a similar shield design below the stop bar (see Rowlands 1976: p7, (63) no.1), which Rowalds' identifies as a Class 3 Group 1 palstave (1976: 240). A further example is found within the Birchington hoard - a collection of fourteen palstaves found within an urn (Rowlands 1976: 246; pl.10 (82) no.10)). Along with palstaves Nos. 1-3, 5-6 & 8-9, No.4 can be considered a 'Birchington Type' palstave (Rowlands 1976: 32-3).





A similar hoard of palstave was also found in the immediate vicinity by the same finder at a later date (see 2017 T459 - KENT-593613). The number (ten) of the palstaves found in the hoard is comparable to those found in 2017 T459, which was found only a short distance away. Furthermore, they appear to have been deposited in similar manners: as a group deposit in a pit. Axes Nos. 1-3, 5-6 & 8-9 are comparable to eight of the axes found within hoard 2017 T459, and axe No. 10 is comparable to axe no.1 from hoard 2017 T459.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder