File:Bronze Age flat axehead (FindID 1004772).jpg

English: A copper alloy flat axehead dating to the Early Bronze Age, c. 2050 to 1700 BC.

The axehead is sub-rectangular in plan with a flaring cutting edge and narrowed shaft which shows signs of a shallow channelling at its centre. It is flattened oval in cross section lengthways, and pointed oval in cross section widthways. There is damage to part of the cutting edge, with one of the corners of the blade now rounded due to a missing area.The green patinised surface is pitted and damaged, with only small areas of the original smooth surface remaining.

Miniature flat axes such as this tend to fit in the chronology at the very end of the early Bronze Age when developed axes are becoming established. It is likely that this example is dated to the Early Bronze Age (EBA phase II-III), of metalworking tradition phase IV-V, which corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 3 circa 2050 - 1700 CAL. BC. Axes of this size and form are difficult to parallel, Schmidt & Burgess (1981) catalogue a number of small developed flat axes as Variant Swinton (p 67-8, nos. 375-380) but all examples are between 87mm and 92mm in length. Although this example is smaller it may have been used for a similar function.

Measurements: weight 90.4g.