File:IOW-BCA2A7 Early Bronze Age Flat Axehead (FindID 458453).jpg

English: An incomplete and corroded Early Bronze Age cast copper-alloy (bronze) flat axe (2200 BC-1900 BC). Undeveloped flat axe of the Type Migdale, decorated variant (after Burgess and Schmidt 1981).

The implement is sub-triangular in plan and sub-rectangular in side view. It has a narrow butt and slightly expanded sides. Some of the original surface has survived on the front and back faces and have an even brown patina. One face (the left image) has been pecked in sets of paired parallel lines. The other face is similar but has slightly angled incised lines like a stylised version of the more common rain pattern seen on many of the decorated Migdale axes.

Except where the patina has survived, this axe is severely corroded and heavily abraded. The corroded areas are uneven and pitted in places. There is no evidence of any bevelling at the edges or of a proto stop ridge / median bevel. Bronze disease is active in some places, particularly on the sides which show distinct areas of lamination. This lamination / erosion may conceal the remains of further decoration such as faceting / cable decoration.

Length: 99.9mm; width: 39.7mm; maximum thickness of original surfaces: 8.8mm. Weight: 115.11g.

The recorder is indebted to Peter Reavill, Finds Liaison Officer (Herefordshire & Shropshire) for his assistance and following comments:

I would be happy recording this as an undeveloped flat axe of the Type Migdale, decorated variant (after Burgess and Schmidt 1981). Without seeing the full patina it is difficult to describe the decoration the first view (on left of image) where a large panel of decoration is present looks really controlled and the surface looks as if it has been pecked in sets of paired parallel lines - Schmidt burgess do not have a parallel for this decoration and I haven't seen the like before (but then again I'm no expert). The decoration on the other face is slightly looser and that seems to be more like slightly angled incised lines which again are not paralleled in B&S but look more like a stylised version of the more common rain pattern seen on many of the decorated Migdale axes. In a note B&S state: "The vast majority of Migdale axes are plain. Some have hammered or punched decoration on the sides but ornament is rarely found on the faces. ...The axes from the surveyed area [Scotland and Northern Britain] show short punched lines or hammer marks, usually either as rain pattern or herringbone. In a few cases there is a zig-zag pattern" page 44-45.
Burgess and Schmidt think that the decorated versions are slightly later than the plain ones (ibid 58-59) but the form of yours lacking a proto stop ridge suggests something slightly earlier. The general shape, with narrow butt slightly expanded sides also suggests a later date I would date this as being Early Bronze Age (EBA probably phase II / possibly III), of metalworking stage III-VI, which corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 2-3 circa 2250 - 1900 CAL. BC. I would probably suggest 2100-1900 BC.

The closest I can find in terms of decoration is within Needham's corpus (Early Bronze Age Axes of Central and Southern England 1983 unpublished PhD, Cardiff) Fig 36 Ca38 from Stow-cum Quay (Cambridgeshire) which he classifies as Axe Type 4Dab. I don't think the style of axe is the same - as this is more developed than your example.

Dot Boughton, Finds Liaison Officer (Lancashire & Cumbria) has recorded a similar but complete flat axehead from Ambleside, Cumbria. See Portable Antiquities Scheme find:

LANCUM-95EBB6

.