Scottish Weapons










	Bronze Axe Approx. Period: 2000 BC Length: 0.15m Width: 0.10m Copper mixed with tin produces the alloy called bronze and this material can be cast into shapes for many uses. This simple axe design could be cast from a mould of sand or stone. The design is representative of early examples and would be bound to a wood or bone handle with sinews and pitch. Later designs incorporate internal sockets for mounting on the handle and loops or ears to make the lashings more secure.
						Bronze offered significant advantages in the construction of weapons and could be cast or beaten into a variety of shapes. This beating also had the advantage of hardening the metal. The blade of an axe such as this could be sharpened to a fine edge but would wear quickly and damage easily. The blade could be reworked several times but eventually the material of the axe would be smelted for re-use in new bronze objects.