Axeheads (front)

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These bronze axeheads were found in 1990 in a hoard of late Bronze Age material at St Andrews in Fife. The hoard contained over 200 tools, weapons and ornaments as well as seven amber beads and three cannel coal bangles. It was buried between 950 and 750 BC.

The form of the axeheads is typical of those found in northern Britain during this period. 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. Both axeheads are damaged at the socket and blade.

The St Andrews hoard is important because of the number of items it contained, the presence of large numbers of certain items such as pins, and the inclusion of some exotic pieces. In addition, because the hoard was examined very soon after its discovery, many fragments of organic material were preserved.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-180-000-878-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland Part 2
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• Ref: National Museums Scotland  
• Date: Between 950 and 750 BC
  
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  • Cowie, Trevor, O'Connor, Brendan and Proudfoot, Edwina. A Late Bronze Age hoard from St Andrews, Fife, Scotland: a preliminary report. In: Chevillot, C. and Coffin, A (eds). Le Bronze Atlantique, Actes du premier colloque, Beynac 1990, Beynac, 1991, pp 49 
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