Two bronze axeheads

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These bronze axeheads were found at Abdie in Fife. They were buried, probably as a gift to the gods, sometime between 2250 and 1950 BC.

The axehead on top has been coated with tin to give it a silvery appearance. It was bent across the middle, with a resulting crack, and damaged on the cutting edge. The sides of the axehead on the bottom have been hammered into three facets.

Offerings to the gods were often special material, treated in special ways or put in special places. Prestigious weapons such as axeheads, maceheads or swords are sometimes found broken, probably part of a ceremony we can only guess about.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-034-248-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.DA 62
• Date: Between 2250 and 1950 BC
  Early Bronze Age
  Early Bronze Age
  
• Material: Bronze; sides hammered into three facets
  Bronze; slightly imperfect at cutting edge; fractured across middle; tinning on one face
  Axe, flat
  Axe, flat
  
• Dimensions: 5.88" x 3.25"
  6.63" x 3.63"
  
• What: Axe, flat
  Axe, flat
  
• Subject:
• Who: Sturrock Collection
  Sturrock Collection
  
• Where: Scotland, Fife, Abdie
  Scotland, Fife, Abdie
  
• Event:
• Description: Early Bronze Age flat axe with sides hammered into three facets, from Abdie, Fife
  Early Bronze Age flat axe, fractured across middle, showing tinning on one face, from Abdie, Fife
  
• References:
  • Coles, John M. Scottish Early Bronze Age metalwork. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 101 (1968-9), 1-110, esp. pp 34, 82, 105. 
• Translations:
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