BRONZE AGE METAL AND AMBER IN THE NETHERLANDS (PART II: l) CAT ALOGUE OF FLAT AXES, FLANGED AXES AND STOPRIDGE AXES II BUTLER Vakgroep Archeologie, Groningen, Nether/ands ABSTRACT: Catalogue of the flat axes, flanged axes, and stopridge axes ofthe Early and Middle Bronze Age fo und in the Netherlands, ordered by types; with consideration of their chronology, distribution, and origins. KEYWORDS: Netherlands, Bronze Age (Early and Middle); flat axes, flanged axes, stopridge axes, distributions. 1. INTRODUCTION designation s wherever and whenever practicable. At present, the most complete and systematic typology for In Part I of this study (Pa[aeohistoria 32, 1990: pp. 47- bronze axes of this and adjacent regions is that pro­ 1 10) we presented a catalogue of the richer grave finds posed and employed by Kibbert, 1980 (for his schema­ and the hoards of the Early and Middle Bronze Age in tic overview see his p. 57: Ta belle 5, for flat axes, and the Netherlands. Part II continues the catalogue with p. 93: Tabelle6,here reproduced as figure l ,forflanged the presentation ofthe single finds ofEarly and Middle axes) and 1984 (for the later axe types). Inevitably , his Bronze Age axes (flat axes, flanged axes, stopridge type divisions serve as the basis for those used here, and axes). The arrangement is according to types; and especiaIly for those axe types which are relatively inc1udes discussion of the chronology, distribution common- in weslern Germany and scarce in the (with maps for the Netherlands) and origin of the types. Netherlands. In some cases, differences ofterminology Palstaves will be similarly presented in Part II:2. and definition seem advisable. In so doing, consideration must obviously be given We can identify a comparatively large number of to the placing of the material found in the Netherlands types and varieties of axes in the Netherlands, though in the wider c1assificatory fr ameworks created by for many of these types only a fe w examples are scholars in adjacent areas, and in more distant regions present. Since there are in this region no natural sources with which the Netherlands had contact during the of copper or tin, in the beginning all metals had to be Early and Middle Bronze Age. Of special importance imported from afar; at first presumably only in the form in this respect are the PBF corpora of Abels (1972) for of finished objects, later as scrap metal. Their sources the flanged axes ofSwitzerland and parts of southwest­ were heterogeneous, which helps explain the diversity em Germany and eastem France, ofKibbert (1980) for of types. Import was certainly not in large quantities, the axes of middle westernGermany, and of Schmidt & and one may suppose that a high percentage of the Burgess (1981) for the axes of northern Britain. Some earlier imports were recyc1ed, so that few were left over use has also been made ofthe unpublished theseson the for possibIe deposition in graves or as votive offerings. axes of the Maas (Meuse) valley of Belgium and the Local production of metal trinkets, whether of copper southern part of the Netherlands by Wielockx (1986) or gold, seems, thanks to the finds of smith's stone and on the axes of the northem provinces of the Nether­ hammers and anvils at Lunteren and Soesterberg (But­ Iands by Hielkema (1994); we are grateful to these two ler & van der Waals, 1966), to have begun during authors for making duplicated copies available. Veluwe Bell Beaker times, though it is by no means Regrettably , there were at the time ofwriting no such certain that cast objects such as axes were aIready then corpus works available for southern Britain, Lower being locally made. There is, however, a Iikelihood that Saxony (one is in preparation, however, by F. Laux), 10w-f1anged axes were produced in this area at the time Belgium west of the Maas valley, and the northem part of the Salez, Neyruz and Emmen axes; and the of France (material for which has, however, been comparatively large number of high-f1anged axes of collected and is being edited by myself and W.H. Type OldendOl-f might suggest a more considerable Metz). There are, of course, also numerous treatments regional production in Sogel-Wohlde times. of aspects of the material of neighbouring areas which We make no c1aim that the type attributions put are of great value, and which we have taken into fo rward here have eternalvalidity. The truth, it has been consideration as far as possible. said, is rarely pure and never simple. The c1assification In this presentation we make use of existing type of Bronze Age artefacts is by no means an exact 159 160 J.J. BUTLER Trapezoide Parallelseitig( -geschweifte) Mit eingezogenen Schmalseiten vom Nacken an di\"ergiw�nde mindutens in d�r obertn schwach cinziehend sluk cinziehend Schm:a.lseitcn HiJfte paralldsdtig ausschwingendc Schneidc kaum / -- stuk � �' ' ' U"'''''�' . ' ''' : Ii : fl , H UOMohlin Habsheim Derryn�iggin-r----t�-+--r-\--+-� \. ___ ,) L.ngqu.id II l Kcmtyp) Tinsdal-Torsted I � I K.Iaden :.- Langquaid I ' .. ,' ;I ----- \ - I �; I Wilhering I H: ; 11 : Rothenditmold Fu6gonheim[) '- :��._'.:�. 1 Carsdorf Ballyv.lley f I Pile I �D8 Grofi-Gerau " "� �.D :;I .. _ U Halle V)�6J <,; t! Remedello �1tL-____________________L- ______________� ��____________ � ______________ L- ________ ____________ " � Fig. I. Classification, development and possibie interrelationships of flanged axes, according to Kibbert (1980: p. 93, Tabelle , 2), Bronze Age metal and amber in the Netherlands (part Il:l ) 161 science, despite all efforts to make it so. University of Groningen Computer Centre for making The facts, as van Giffen reminded us, re main, but the program available, and for their advice and assistance their interpretations can change. And sometimes even therewith. In comparison with the similar base map the facts change, as when past misapprehensions need previously used (Butler, 1987), thegemeente boundaries to be corrected, or forgotten documentation comes to have been suppressed, the majorrivers have been rende­ light. Future finds and subsequent publications will red somewhat heavier, and the modem provincial undoubtedly alter some perspectives and compel boundaries have been added fo r the easier orientation of modifications. Other criteria may come to seem more the reader. important; borderline cases will always be subject to For the sake of comparison, we have provided a varying assessment. Be this as it may, there is certainly combined distribution map of all mappable flat, flanged profit when we pull together a diverse material, scattered and stopridge axes in the Netherlands (Map 18) and over numerous public and private collections and another of all palstaves, unlooped and looped (Map 19). therefore hitherto unoverseeable, and subject it to These indicate broadly the are as occupied and frequented scrutiny in the light of the present state of knowledge. by copper and bronze axe-users in the Early and Middle The distribution maps utilize a base map of the Bronze Age. Netherlands per gemeente belonging to the p.c. version The occupied areas correspond, in general, with the of the cartographic program Gekaart of the Faculty of comparatively high and dry sand grounds of Drenthe Spatial Science s of the University of Groningen. The and Twente in the north and east, the Veluwe in the base map was improved and the points were plotted by centre, and the Campine in the south; and, to a Iimited J. Steegstra (who also admirably fulfilled the role of degree, the western coastal dune barrier. Generally database manager). We are grateful to J.T. Ubbink of unoccupied were the marine-clay coastal areas, some the Faculty for Spatial Sciences and J. Kraak of the river-clay areas, and the interior peilt-filled basins. � c== .. f i '" ..... Fr '. ' , \ i tf ........ i Dr "f I ··· . .·.:·····f·_·...i ··· · f Ns . Ov " -- .\ .... I . ' .. .. .. .. Ge N-B Map I. Provinces of the Netherlands and . '.. �( ...., •. -.J '). -v f'".( Nr-W neighbouring areas. Provinces of the Nelher­ lands: Fr. Friesland; Gr. Groningen; Dr. Dren­ ... \ Ant .L-. 'I the; Ov. Overijssel; Ge. Geideriand; Ul. Utrecht; !-- ....... ') i L , " ---- . N-H. Noord-Holland; Z-H. Zuid-Holland; N­ O-VI B. Noord-Brabant; Li. (Ned.) Limburg; Fl. Fievoland; ZI. Zeeland. Belgian provinces: 0- Belgium Germany VI. Oost-Vlaanderen; AnI. Antwerpen; B Lg. (Belg.) Limburg. German Lander: Ns. Niedersachsen; Nr-W. Nordrhein-Westfalen. Dot-dash lines: national boundaries; dotted lines: provincial boundary. 162 1.1. BUTLER • parallel-sided • narrow trapeze A trapeze,IAltheim" * trapeze, thin butt z: double axe " " Map 2. (AXF) Flat axes of 'Aeneolithic' types. Noteworthy is the relative scarcity of finds in some 2. FLAT AXES OF 'AENEOLITHIC' TYPES other inland areas such as southern Limburg and the eastern part (Achterhoek) of GelderIand. Few flat axes of Aeneolithic types have been found in In the catalogue entries, all measurements cited are the Netherlands; and even fe wer have known and re­ in centimetres, unless otherwise specified. Dimensions corded find-spots. Most of the flat axes were published which have been importantly reduced by damage to the and discussed previously (Butler & van der Waals, object are enclosed in brackets. 1966). In the light of the metal analyses of some ofthese Besides the catalogue number heading the entry for objects, it is by no means certain they are actually ofpre­ each object, we cite in brackets a DB number, which Bronze Age manufacture; and we have therefore chosen identifies the object in my computer data base. This will to include them in the present work. prove to be a convenience for cross-referencing. The small number of flat axes inc\ude both thick­ The various types have each been assigned a code butted (AXFU, AXFUT, AXFA) and thin-butted name, which permits a compact manner of reference.