Large scale analysis of Bronze Age palstaves

Principal investigator: Liam
Level: PhD level research

Metal artefacts are crucial to our understanding of the Bronze Age, and the 'palstave' is one of the period's most well-known and widely-distributed forms. Analysis of prehistoric metal finds reveals not only technological aspects of production but also wider relationship between metal, metalworkers and prehistoric society. The UK's palstave assemblage is ideal for a large-scale analysis due to its size and geographical range across the country.

The project will adopt three novel methodological approaches to gain fresh and unusual purchase on the questions below:

1. To what extent can the large numbers of new palstave finds and the availability of rigorous 3D morphometric analysis allow for new understanding of regional and industrial variation in palstave shapes?

2. How was the production of palstaves and metalwork organised, and how did this vary chronologically and regionally?

3. To what extent are changing social dynamics of the Bronze Age societies reflected in craft production, and what further insights about the consumption of Bronze Age metalwork and role of metal and metalworkers, can 3D morphometric modelling, compositional materials science and advanced spatial analysis offer?

The project will be completed in 2017.

Audit data

• Created: 10 years ago
• Created by: D P