European Bronze Age farmers differed from their stone-cutting predecessors – they used horses and chariots to work; kept flocks of sheep for woollen clothing; and used bronze as a standard commodity of exchange. Technological development was rapid; the manufacture of tools and weapons increased; and specialised equipment emerged for shaving, woodworking, and metalworking. Axes such as this one would have been used primarily for clearing woodland and for shaping timber, but would also have proved useful in battles.
To find out more about British Bronze Age please see our relevant blog post: Bronze Age in Britain.