File:Bronze Age palstave (front, side and back views) (FindID 177842).jpg

English: A complete cast copper alloy un-looped palstave axehead, dating to the Middle Bronze Age, between 1500 – 1150 BC (length: 167mm; width at blade: 61.5mm; width at stop: 24mm; thickness at stop: 33.5mm; thickness at blade tip: 5.5mm; weight: exceeds the weight limit of scales: more than 150g).

The rear part of the axe (from the stop ridge to the butt) is sub-rectangular in plan from the butt to the stop (length: 70mm) and sub-triangular in profile with the thickest part of the artefact immediately behind the stop ridge. The septum (the area between the flange facets and the stop ridge) is 70mmlong, 18mm wide and approximately 9mm deep. in plan from the stop to the blade edge (length: 97mm). The flange facets, which are both complete and give the artefact a lozenge-shaped appearance to the side, are fused to the stop ridge forming two raised elements to haft the axe by. The butt of the axehead is slightly rounded in plan. On both sides of the axe are partially visible linear scars / ribs which extend from the butt to the cutting edge. These have been trimmed and possibly hammered. It is likely that these scars are the remnants of the two part mold used to cast the artefact. There are a couple of bubbles at the butt of the axe, which also indicate the casting process. Immediately below the stop ridge is a slight shield-shaped depression, which seems to be relatively common occurance on un-looped palstaves of this period. The blade, which is sub-triangular in plan and mostly sub-rectangular in section, curves and expands outwards towards the complete and slightly bevelled cutting edge. On one side of the blade, there are numerous scratch or dash marks that occur directly above the bevelled edge. Overall, the artefact is in a worn but fair condition with a dark green patina.

Similar examples are illustrated in Moore, C, N & Rowlands, M, 1972, ‘Bronze Age Metalwork in Salisbury Museum’, pages 52-3 & plate VII, ref nos 15-22.