File:Bronze Age Palstave. Treasure case no. 2010 T67 (FindID 287668-301651).jpg

English: Hoard of Bronze Age implements. 5 copper alloy palstave axe heads and 1 damaged socketed spearhead. Treasure case no. 2010 T67.

1. Copper alloy palstave (Type Class 3 Group 1; "Birchington Type") with a slightly raised ridge along both surfaces of the blade and low flanges gently sloping towards the butt (Rowlands 1976, 32-33). It has a corroded broad blade and a highly corroded septum above the stop-ridge. There is a hole, probably due to a casting flaw, through the shield pattern design, to a depth of around 8.9mm. On the reverse face, the hole appears to have been filled in. The patina is green across the blade; lighter green across the septum/butt with dark green traces in hollow of septum. In profile, the flanges are of half-leaf form. Max length: 138mm; width at cutting edge: 54.7mm; width at stop-ridge: 26.1mm; thickness: 25.1mm; weight: 313.3g 2. Copper alloy low-flanged palstave (Type Class 4 Group 1; "Werrar Type") with a severe break, probably recent, along the septum (Rowlands 1976, 33-34). It is decorated on both sides with three 3.92mm long ribs below the stop-ridge along the septum. The blade edge is extremely uneven with a break of 2.87mm appearing halfway along the blade edge, and running the rest of the blade length and 15.85mm along the surface. The surface is highly corroded and uneven and the patina is mostly green/dark green. Max length: 112.6mm; width at cutting edge: 46.7mm; width at stop-ridge: 26.04mm; thickness: 28.1mm; weight: 348.5g 3. Small copper alloy side looped socketed spearhead. It is badly damaged and corroded, though there is evidence of a side loop on right hand side, much of the left side blade edge missing, along with the spear tip. The latter is probably due to excavation/plough damage. Max length: 81.34mm; width 18.71mm; thickness: 11.2mm; weight: 27.7g 4. Copper alloy low flanged palstave (Possibly Werrar Type due to barely defined stop-ridge). It is badly damaged and corroded with a very uneven surface. It is missing part of the blade and the butt. The patina is green/dark green. Max length: 158.9mm; width at cutting edge: 54.2mm; width at stop-ridge: 26.3mm; thickness: 31.1mm; weight: 397.4g 5. Copper alloy low flanged palstave (Possibly Werrar Type due to barely defined stop-ridge). It is badly damaged and corroded with a very uneven surface. It is missing part of the blade and the butt. The patina is green/dark green. Max length: 159.9mm; width at cutting edge: 43.2mm; width at stop-ridge: 27.7mm; thickness: 30.9mm; weight: 422g 6. Copper alloy low flanged palstave (Possibly Werrar Type due to barely defined stop-ridge) with a very faded green patina that is markedly different from the green/dark green patina in the rest of the hoard. Part of the butt end is missing. There are possibly two ribs at the stop-ridge though these are not clear. Max length: 153.6mm; width at cutting edge: 52.1mm; width at stop-ridge: 23.5mm; thickness: 25.8mm; weight: 387.2g The Werrar and Birchington palstaves can be dated to the Taunton metalwork phase (c. 1400-1250BC) of the Middle Bronze Age (Needham 1996; Needham et al. 1997). Whilst the Birchington type is found in high concentrations in Sussex, the Werrar type is primarily found on the Isle of Wight (Northover 2001). The association of a side-looped spearhead, potentially also dating to the Taunton metalwork phase, is also paralleled on the island (Northover 2001, 436). Only two of the palstaves are sufficiently well preserved to identify close object parallels - no.1 with a palstave from Bigberry Wood, Canterbury, Kent and no. 2 with Billingham House, nr. Newport, Isle of Wight. The hoard is also comparable to one recently found at Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight (TAR 2005/6 26-27).
The objects qualify as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act (1996) (Designation Order 2002).