Brades Farm palstave axe (image)

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This Bronze Age (2300 B.C. - 700 B.C.) palstave axe was found during ploughing on Brades Farm in Prees during the winter of 1978. Bronze smelting was a major technical feat. Copper ore and tin (or arsenic) would need to be gathered, either directly mined or exchanged through trade. The copper ore was smelted to produce pure copper and then mixed with the tin (or arsenic) in the correct proportions. Too much tin and the bronze would be soft, too little and the bronze would be brittle. A kiln was built and enough fuel gathered to reach temperatures in excess of 1084 degrees Celsius. The molten bronze would then be cast in an axe shaped mould and the final product was polished for hours to produce a bright sheen.

Image courtesy of: Shropshire Sites and Monuments Record

Donor Ref: ' SA 2684, PRN 02684 (191/6315)'

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