Object: Palstave (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to  (-1500 to -1300)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Bickley, Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire West and Chester (North West)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 176.8 mm
Thickness: 37.8 mm
Weight: 569 g
Description: A cast copper alloy (bronze) early palstave / primary Group I - shield patterned palstave of Middle Bronze Age date (1500-1300 BC) - most probably associated with the Acton Park II and Taunton metalworking assemblages (Needham Period 5) - both assemblages fit within Burgess Metal Working Stage VIII and IX.



The palstave is broadly rectangular in plan with relatively straight parallel side which flare on the lower blade and expand to form a wide crescentic cutting edge / blade. In profile the palstave is lentoid with the widest section being before and after the stop ridge - where it tapers to form the butt and blade. The blade (measured from the cutting edge to the stop ridge) is 100.4mm long and the width of cutting edge is 69.0mm. The thickness of the blade tip is 2.4mm and the cutting edge is well preserved and still sharp. The maximum thickness of the blade is 17.2mm (measured at a point below the stop ridge; the width at this point is 32.7mm). The upper blade is well preserved. A poorly defined sub-triangular shaped dish is present on both faces - although it is more defined on one edge. This depression is interpreted as a form of shield pattern, although the exterior edges are not decorated / defined with raised ribs. This form of palstave is not commonly looped. However on the edges of the upper blade - slightly below the stop ridge Two raised transverse ribs / swellings are present. The rear part of the axe (from the stop ridge to the butt) is sub-rectangular in plan and irregular in profile; the sides in profile are parallel. In section the butt has an H shaped cross section - although the raised side flanges. The rear section of the palstave measures 76.4mm length and has a maximum thickness 38.0mm. The septum (the area between the flange facets and the stop ridge) is 73.4mm long, and 17.8mm wide and 6.7mm thick. The butt of the axe is complete - it has a slight U shaped notch at the centre of the butt but this is patinated suggesting damage in antiquity. The width at the butt is 27.4mm. The flange facets are broadly sub-triangular (an irregular arc) in shape they are at their highest point prior to the junction with the stop ridge and project onto the upper blade. The stop ridge is set very low and is fused to flanges  - this forms two raised elements to haft the axe by. The facets on each side of the axe differ from one another. The side flange extends to a maximum height of 15.3mm above the septum and the stop ridge is 6.0mm high. The profile of the flanges on one face is slightly irregular with V shaped notches being removed - this is original to the manufacture an dis possibly a casting flaw - all the edges of these notches are patinated. The junction between the septum and stop ridge is crescentic in shape and the base of the septum is slightly hollow - has a U shaped depression. The long edges of the axe have been finished and the remnants of the casting seam have been removed by trimming, filing and hammering. The palstave measures 176.8mm long and weighs 569 grams. The relative heaviness of the axe could suggest a larger than normal degree of lead being added to the alloy.



The palstave is a mid brown colour with a thick well formed patina which covers almost all surfaces of the axe. In a number of places the patina has been removed by active corrosion - where this has occurred a roughened light green coloured metal is present. The patina has been removed on one flange and a bright metallic brass colour has been revealed - this damage is likely to be due to the axe being clipped during its removal from the soil. The axe is remarkably unabraded and the tips of the axe blade are unusually well preserved - this suggests that the axe has never been within upper / active ploughzone.



Similar examples to this palstave can be seen in: Savory, 1980; Catalogue of the Bronze Age collections in the National Museum of Wales; Figs 19-20 cat no 132 Llanfair-mathafarn-eithaf, Anglesey / Yns Mon and 139-142 Chepstow, Glos, Llanddaniel-fab (Anglesey) and Caernarvonshire respectively. Burgess and Schmidt (1981: pp 117-125) explore the dating and known distribution of this form of early palstave which is relatively common in North Wales, The Marches and Cheshire plain.
Subsequent action: Returned to finder