Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -1400)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Teddesley Hay, South Staffordshire, Staffordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 163.5 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Description: A complete cast Bronze Age palstave axehead (length: 163.5mm; width: at cutting edge: 69mm; thickness at flange facets: 33mm; over 200g).  The butt of the axehead is fairly corroded and pointed to a tip.  The septum measures 18mm wide with flange tops protruding upwards at either side by 11.5mm in height.  The stop is 62.5mm down the length of the septum with a shield-shaped impression on the other side, measuring approximately 29mm in length down the blade, probably as a form of decoration.  At either side of the axehead as the flange tops slope downwards after the stop, there is a nick which protrudes outwards very slightly.  The length of the blade from the end of the shield-shaped pattern to the blade facet measures 65.5mm and it slopes downwards to the start of the possible blade facet which begins approximately 14mm from the edge. The blade splays outwards nearer the edge to form a cresent shape with blade tips on either side.  The cutting edge is heavily corroded which some of the surface patina worn/ corroded away, particularly by bronze disease.  The casting seam is visible on either side of the axe and continues down the overall length of the flange and the blade side.  Overall, the axehead is in a worn and corroded condition in certain areas and has a dark brown-black patina.


This axehead is similar to shield-shaped palstaves of the Acton metalwork, as mentioned in Rohl & Needham's 1998 paper 'The Circulation of Metal in the British Bronze Age: The Application of Lead Isotope Analysis': see reference numbers 92-6.  The Acton metalwork dates from 1500-1400 BC and comes under the Deverel Rimbury and allied groups grave series, showing the major burial tradition in England and Wales at the time.  There similar artefacts in the Birmingham Museum Collection, as illustrated in Philip J Watson's 1993 paper titled 'Catalogue of British & European Prehistoric Metalwork in Birmingham City Museums; reference numbers 123 & 5, especially those with the shield-shaped patterning.  No 123 is a palstave with high flanges extending beyond the stop ridge with shield pattern decoration.  It can be classified as Burgess group B/A from County Londonderry, Londonderry.  No 125 is an unlooped palstave with trident pattern, broken butt and has been classified as Burgess group A. and was found at Antrim, Ballymoney.  Other similar examples include those from Chepstow Bridge (Gloucestershire) and Arreton (Isle of Wight), as illustrated in S. M. Pearce's 'Bronze Age Metalwork in southern Britain'; see fig 7c & 8e.


Pearce calls these palstaves 'the backbone of the Middle bronze Age industry' (page 23).  They are a technical improvement on the ealrier flanged axes.  The earliest palstaves lack side loops and have their blades decorated with a midrib (Group 1 type) like that from Chepstow, or with a shield pattern (Group 2 type).  Early midrib and shield pattern palstaves were also being manufactured byt the Acton Park smiths of North Wales and by smiths in eastern Britain before 1400 BC.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder