Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1300 to -1200)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Perton, South Staffordshire, Staffordshire (West Midlands)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 123.3 mm
Thickness: 20.1 mm
Weight: 297.7 g
Description: An incomplete copper alloy Low Flanged Palstave Type axehead probably of the Middle Bronze Age period, dating to c. BC 1300 - c. BC 1200



The blade of the palstave is broadly rectangular in plan with convex expanding sides and a convex blade edge. The cutting edge has been lost and the blade has been damaged extensively. In profile the blade is sub-triangular with the widest section being before the stop ridge. The blade has a width at the blade edge of 40.5 mm. The thickness of the blade tip is 5.14 mm. The maximum thickness of the blade is 19.7 mm (measured at a point below the stop ridge; the width at this point is 28.32 mm). Beneath the stop-ridge, on the front side of the palstave, is what appears to be a tapering central faceted rib. This rib is incomplete as much of the patina has been lost. The convex cutting edge of the blade is lost through corrosion, abrasion and probably wear. The exposed edge is asymmetric with one side of the blade being more worn than the other. This may be due to considerable movement in the ploughsoil and corrosion. 

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 4.30 mm deep at the stop ridge and the flange facets are approximately 3.13 mm deep, and is an elongated U shape in plan. The butt of the axe has been damaged and is incomplete. The width at the butt is 24.12 mm, the butt has a thickness of 5.84 mm. 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, both faces of the axe have been severly damaged by abrasion and corrosion which renders comparison between the two faces difficult. The flange facets on both sides have been severly damaged, the edges are incomplete. 



The palstave measures 123.3 mm in length and has a width of 31.3 mm. It has a maximum thickness of 20.1 mm and weighs 297.7 g.



The palstave is a light - mid green colour with areas of thick well formed patina and exposed areas of abraded metal. It is likely that abrasion and corrosion has spread and affected over 75% of the surface of the axe. This corrosion seems to be relatively unstable at present and areas of light green active powdery corrosion can be observed. The majority of the abrasion present on the palstave is located on one face. There is an area of the original gold coloured patina on the surface on the base at the right hand side of the reverse. A similar example of this type of Palstave can be seen in Schmidt and Burgess (1981) plate 58, numbers 792 - 801, and has been identified as a Low Flanged Palstave. However it is difficult to be certain of this due to the exent of the corrosion on the surface of this object. This form and style of palstave fits into Group II or III (Schmidt and Burgess, 1981) which is dated to the Middle Bronze Age 1300-1200 BC. Other similar examples have also been recorded on the database, including HESH-D05FE3 and HESH-D98157.



Reference



Schmidt, P. K. and Burgess, C. B., 1981. The axes of Scotland and Northern England Munchen : C.H. Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung
Notes: 
Renaissance wax has been applied to the surface of the object by the finder.

Subsequent action: Returned to finder