A bronze palstave axehead with straight, narrow butt developing to two high lateral flanges on each face, extending past the ridge stop to form a shield-shaped enclosure. The blade tapers slightly before flaring outward into a crescentic, splayed cutting edge. Directly below the central stop ridge, it features a distinct, cast trident decoration consisting of a short mid-rib extending into slightly raised borders.
 
Middle Bronze Age: Circa 1400 - 1275 BC.
 
Very Fine condition; good bronze; surfaces a little pitted in places, accretions, traces of weathering.
Length 15.3 cms (6 ins).
Weight 366 grams.
 
Provenance: From a UK early 2000's collection.
 
Ref: Evans, J., The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland, London, 1881, item 60.
 
The specific design places the axe firmly within the developed Taunton metalworking phase of the British Middle Bronze Age. It represents an exact evolutionary bridge: while smiths were pioneering advanced geometric decorations like the trident to reinforce the blade, they had not yet universally adopted the cast side-loop for raw-hide binding.
 
NB: Current UK legislation would require this item to have an export licence if sent outside of the UK. We will carry out this procedure at no extra charge, but it may take up to 2 weeks for the Arts Council to approve the application.