Axeheads

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These two bronze axeheads were found possibly in the Rogart district in Sutherland and at Tarradale Quarry in Ross-shire. They are of types which could have been used for felling trees in Bronze Age Scotland.

The axehead possibly from Rogart is a type of axe called a palstave. It is decorated with a shield-shaped motif on the blade. The Tarradale axehead has three raised lines on the side.

In the period between 1500 and 1000 BC, the irregular fields found earlier were replaced by larger, more defined fields. Increased use of draught animals meant more land could be cleared and brought into cultivation.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-034-305-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.DE 61
• Date: Sutherland axehead: between 1400 and 1300 BC; Ross-shire axehead: between 800 and 700 BC
  
• Material: Bronze; loop; three raised lines on side
  Bronze; shield with internal bar below septum on one face, damaged on other face
  Axe, flanged
  Axe, socketed
  
• Dimensions: 5.63" x 2.00"
  6.50" L x 2.80" across cutting edge; flanges 1.05" W
  
• What: Axe, flanged
  Axe, socketed
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Ross-shire, Tarradale Quarry
  Scotland, Sutherland, Rogart
  
• Event:
• Description: Bronze flanged axe, possibly from the Rogart district, Sutherland
  Bronze socketed axe with a loop and three raised lines on the side, from Tarradale Quarry, Ross-shire
  
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