ABSTRACT
The material used for the casting of the axe is a type III copper-composition, containing around 8% tin. A fitting piece of copper had to be produced separately in a mould of its own and possibly hammered into shape. The visual qualities of distinct copper-compositions are an entirely new phenomenon in the early Bronze Age and the axe from Thun deliberately appears to aim at polychrome effects created through the combination of several metals. One extraordinary axe seems to have been made solely with the intention to function through appearance instead of mechanical qualities such as hardness. Axe 110 is a high quality cast that received moderate shaping, a moderate annealing, and, lastly, a strong hammer-hardening. Axe 137 is also a typical, large Langquaid II axe. Although made of a type III material it is of poor casting quality. Axe 153 saw a weak shaping, moderate annealing, and a strong final hammer-hardening.
