Axehead

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This bronze axehead was found at North Berwick Law in East Lothian. It dates from between 1150 and 950 BC.

The long narrow socketed axehead has an oblong mouth encircled by a slight moulding. A wooden handle would have fitted into the axehead's socket. A thong could also have attached the axehead to the socket through the loop.

Socketed axeheads appear to have been invented on the Continent. They are part of a range of socketed tools and swords made by smiths requiring more complex casting techniques.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-104-703-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.DE 91
• Date: 1150 - 950 BC
  Between 1150 and 950 BC
  
• Material: Bronze; oblong socket mouth with rounded corners encircled by slight moulding; much of the patina scraped off
  Axe, socketed
  
• Dimensions: 4.06" L x 1.75"
  
• What: Axe, socketed
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, East Lothian, North Berwick Law
  
• Event:
• Description: Bronze socketed axe with an oblong socket mouth encircled by slight moulding and with much of the patina scraped off, from North Berwick Law, East Lothian, 1150 - 950 BC
  
• References:
  • Coles, John M. Scottish late Bronze Age metalwork: typology, distributions and chronology. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 93 (1959-1960), pp 16-134, esp. p 68. 
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