Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1500 to -1300)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Brewood and Coven, South Staffordshire, Staffordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 169 mm
Thickness: 31.4 mm
Weight: 440.6 g
Description: An incomplete copper alloy (bronze) copper-alloy Primary / Early phase Group III palstave of Middle Bronze Age dating (1500-1300 BC).



The object has a single midrib visible on both faces, a slight shield shaped pattern below the stop ridge and raised flange facets. The blade of the palstave is sub-triangular in plan, with convex expanding sides, and a convex cutting edge. The cutting edge is damaged, but appears to be symmetrical. The cutting edge measures 64.2 mm in width and is 3.0 mm thick.



In profile the blade is sub-triangular with the widest section being before the stop ridge. It measures 31.2 mm in width and 27.7 mm thick at the stop ridge.



Beneath the stop-ridge, on each face of the palstave, is a narrow concave depression, which is bordered by raised ridges. This is broadly sub-rectangular (U-shaped) and is usually described as shield shaped. It is visible on both sides, however it is obscured slightly on one face due to a casting flaw, an air bubble, being present. The shield measures 26.4 mm in width and 25.8 mm in length on the clearer face. Through this shield descends a vertical rib that extends to the mid point on the upper blade forming a trident like pattern.



The palstave has a U-shaped septum and straight-sided open flanges for hafting. The flanges are incomplete. At the stop ridge on one face the flange measures 11.7 mm in depth. The butt of the object is incomplete and measures 24.2 mm in width and 5.2 thick. No side loop is present.



Overall the palstave measures 169 mm in length, a maximum width of 64.2 mm, and a maximum thickness of 31.4 mm. It weighs 440.6 g.



The palstave is a mid green to brown colour, with an uneven surface patina. Abrasion, caused by movement whilst within the plough soil, has resulted in a loss of some of the original surface.



Surface XRF analysis was carried out at Birmingham Museum Conservation Laboratory using a tabletop Mistral XRF machine. The results are below:






Site

			
Silver (Ag)

			
Gold (Au)

			
Copper (Cu)

			
Iron (Fe)

			
Zinc (Zn)

			
Mercury (Hg)

			
Lead (Pb)

			
Tin (Sn)

		


Stop ridge

			
0.00

			
0.00

			
47.13

			
16.93

			
0.00

			
0.00

			
1.52

			
34.42

		


Stop ridge

			
0.05

			
0.00

			
39.58

			
14.26

			
0.00

			
0.00

			
1.77

			
44.35

		


Stop ridge

			
0.03

			
0.00

			
42.57

			
15.59

			
0.00

			
0.00

			
1.74

			
40.07

		



The palstave is an early example and is classified as a Group III type which has both a mid-rib and shield decoration forming a trident. These group of palstaves date to the Middle Bronze Age period, and can be narrowed down to 1500-1300 BC (http://finds.org.uk/bronzeage/objects/axes). The axehead fits within Needham Period 5, Burgess Metalworking phase VIII and is likely to be part of the Acton Park II metalworking assemblage. This form is very common in the west midlands and marches' good parallels recorded on the PAS database can be seen from Wentnor, Shropshire (HESH-C253E1) and Myddle, Shropshire (HESH-174823)
Subsequent action: Returned to finder