Object: Flanged Axehead (Bronze Age)
Period: Bronze Age to BRONZE AGE (-1600 to -1400)
Material: Copper alloy 
Found: Pentyrch, Cardiff, Cardiff (Wales)
Discovery method: Metal detector
Length: 184 mm
Thickness: 25.2 mm
Weight: 678.7 g
Description: Bronze Age bronze Early Short-Flanged axe, possibly of Type Bannockburn as defined by Schmidt and Burgess (1981, p.76-7)[1] but of Acton Park 1 metalworking industry, straddling the end of the Early Bronze Age to beginning of the Middle Bronze Age; c. 1600 – 1400BC



The axe is complete with minimal corrosion and is comparatively large (with a length of 184mm and a weight of 678.7g). The butt is straight (with a width of 16.2mm and a thickness of 2.3mm) and is slightly angled across its width. The sides are straight and gently divergent as far as the ‘nicked’ ridges, below the stop (with a width at the stop of 32.9mm, a width of 35.8mm above the nicks and a width of 40.0mm across the nicks). Below the nicked ridges, the sides are concave and divergent to produce a splayed blade edge (with a blade width of 81.7mm). The blade edge has an even rounded curve. The casting seams are barely discernible and have been neatly and carefully finished. Beneath the nicks on the sides of the blade are decorative hammer facets.  The flanges are comparatively low, beginning at the butt and reaching their zenith just above the stop (with a maximum height of 25.2mm and a maximum height above the septum of 8.9mm) and continue onto the blade, ending at the position of the nicked ridges. The flanges are angled or bevelled inwards and converge slightly on the blade to incorporate the shield-pattern moulding. One of the flanges has an additional facet near its top edge not evident on the other three flanges. The septum (16mm long and 9mm wide) is flat and is near-perpendicular to the flanges and stop. There are hammered recesses and transverse ridges across the septum on both faces, immediately above the stop. The bar ledge stop is vertical (with a maximum height of 11.4mm above the septum and 7.3mm above the blade and is 3.3mm thick) and in side view, projects slightly above the flanges. The shield decoration is formed by a raised moulding and extends from the base of the flanges (with a length from the stop of 52mm). The blade is rectangular sectioned but the faces are gently convex across their widths. The blade faces are also convex across their lengths and convergent with no discernible blade facets. The blade appears to be more finished than are area within the shield, which shows hammer marks and casting flaws. Neither hammering facets nor sharpening striations are evident on the blade. The unpatinated surface has some pitting and some small patches of pale-green corrosion. 



The axe is of interesting form and should perhaps be considered as transitional between flanged axes and early palstaves. The long and low flanges extending into the shield pattern moulding, the faceted flanges and hammer-decoration on the nicked-sides are all features common to flanged axes. The axe form can be paralleled in an example recorded by Schmidt & Burgess (1981, p 77, pl. 55, no. 431) as Type Bannockburn. The prominent bar ledge stop however perhaps relates to primitive shield palstaves. Needham (1996, p 133)[2] and others have argued that there is considerable overlap for ‘final EBA and earliest MBA’ types and this axe form would appear to relate to this overlap of types.  





[1] Schmidt, P.K. & Burgess, C. 1981; The Axes of Scotland and Northern Ireland, Praähistorische Bronzefunde Abteilung IX, 7. Band 7



[2] Needham, S. 1996; Chronology and Periodisation in the British Bronze Age, Acta Archaeologica 67, p. 121-140
Subsequent action: Returned to finder