File:Early Bronze Age, Flat Axe (FindID 389460-281990).jpg

English: Complete cast copper alloy (bronze) flat axe of Early Bronze Age date (c. 2200 - 2000 BC). This example fits best into the earliest known copper axe and early bronze axes discovered in Britain. These are dated to the Early Bronze Age of metalworking stage II, which corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 2 circa 2350- 2050 CAL. BC.

The flat axe is broadly sub rectangular in plan with a splayed crescent shaped blade. In profile it is broadly lentoid, with slight tapering edges. In cross section the axe is D shaped with one edge displaying a distinctive curved (domed edge) whilst the opposite is relatively flat. It is likely that this is caused by the axe being cast in an open stone mould. The overall length is 90.0mm and the axe weighs 133.45 grams. It should be noted that the axe is relatively small when compared to the corpus of known Early Bronze Age material. The butt is relatively thin having a narrow rounded profile; the width at the butt is 19.8mm (thickness: 2.8mm). The sides of the axe gently expand in width from the butt to the blade; in shape they are relatively curved. There is no evidence of the long edges being raised to form flanges and there is also no evidence of a median bevel (proto stop ridge). However, the axe is thickest at the mid point (8.2mm). The sides of the blade expand to produce a crescentic blade edge with an abraded width of 51.6mm. The tips of the crescent shaped blade have been damaged through either abrasion or wear, as has the blade edge itself. A distinct blade facet is not present; it has been lost through abrasion. There is no evidence of any form of incised or cast decoration present on any surface of the axe. However, almost all of the original patina has been lost through laminating corrosion. Where a large segment of original patina remains on one face there is no discernable patterning. The axe is a mid green brown colour; where damage has occurred there is a light green active corrosion product present. The overall condition of the axe suggests that there has been a relatively large amount of movement in the soil. The axehead is best described as coming from the first phases of the Early Bronze Age and is comparable to (although not containing all the attributes of Migdale axes (many of these tend to have narrower butts which flare at the cutting edge). These axes all fit within the earliest phases of metal working in Britain, metalworking stage II, which corresponds to Needham's (1996) Period 2 circa 2350- 2050 CAL. BC. This means that they are dated, broadly, to the same period as Beaker pottery, barbed and tanged flint arrowheads, copper halberds and gold lunulae.