Palstave on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
{{Short description, European Bronze Age axe
A palstave is a type of early 
The
available on gutenberg.org
*Schmidt, P.K. and Burgess, C.B. 1981. "The Axes of Scotland and Northern England" in ''Prähistorische Bronzefunde'' 9/7 Archaeological artefact types Axes Bronze Age Europe European archaeology
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
axe
An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has ma ...
. It was common in the middle Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
in northern, western and south-western Europe. In the technical sense, although precise definitions differ, an axe is generally deemed to be a palstave if it is hafted by means of a forked wooden handle kept in place with high, cast flanges and stop bar. The axe should be much thicker on the blade side of the stop bar than the hafting side (Schmidt and Burgess 1981, p. 115). In these respects, it is very close, but distinct from, earlier 'flanged axes'. Palstaves were cast in bivalve moulds made of clay, stone or bronze.
The archaeologist
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
John Evans (1881, p. 72) popularized the term 'palstave' in English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
following Danish
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...
archaeologists who borrowed the term from is, paalstab. Confusingly, a paalstab is not an axe, but a digging tool. However, the term had become so common with Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...
n and German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
archaeologists that Evans thought it best to follow suit.
See also
*Celt (tool)
In archaeology, a celt is a long, thin, prehistoric, stone or bronze tool similar to an adze, hoe, or axe.
A shoe-last celt was a polished stone tool used during the early European Neolithic for felling trees and woodworking.
Etymology
The ...
References
*Evans, J. 1881. ''The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland''. London: Longmans and Coavailable on gutenberg.org
*Schmidt, P.K. and Burgess, C.B. 1981. "The Axes of Scotland and Northern England" in ''Prähistorische Bronzefunde'' 9/7 Archaeological artefact types Axes Bronze Age Europe European archaeology