Series: Prähistorische Bronzefunde

Catalogue and discussion of 1649 examples, with classification by hilt and blade forms, consideration of function, etc.

Surveys the history of BA axe studies, the range of provenances (single finds, hoards, settlements), terminology, etc, before proceeding to a catalogue and discussion of all axes from the area, copper flat axes to socketed LBA types, and including fakes.

A corpus and discussion of the material, together with a description of the history of previous work and theories. The daggers, including knife-daggers and dirks, are classified on form and decoration into fourteen groups, and correlations are suggested with the Wessex Culture since this provides the best parallels. Although much English and, later, Breton influence is seen, the daggers all appear to be of Irish manufacture during the period 18th century BC to about 1400. The halberds remain an enigmatic class having an unknown function and debatable origins. Ireland, with over 150 examples, has 40% of the total number known in Europe, but none was found in scientific excavation, and only twelve have reliable associations. Ó Ríordáin's typology is rejected because it had no external checks, and the four types here distinguished may well have run parallel with each other. Even an approximate date is difficult to assign, but contemporaneity with the Bush Barrow phase of the Wessex Culture is likely.

Illustrated corpus of just over two thousand looped socketed axes of the Bronze Age from Ireland, with an introduction considering their development, manufacture, function and usage, find-places, distributional patterns, chronology, context and classification. Includes in appendices: