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Description: | A complete but damaged knapped, ground and polished axe head of probable later Neolithic date (2900-2100 BC). The axe is knapped from a mid grey volcanic tuff. This rock type is formed from compressed volcanic ash that is found in Britain and Ireland in a band that runs down the Irish Sea from the Lake District (the Langdale's source Group VI), County Antrim (Ireland), through North Wales (Graig Lwyd Group VII), and into Cornwall and Devon (Groups XVI and IV respectively). Volcanic tuff is similar to flint in that it can be finely worked, ground and polished. The exact source of this axe is unknown and mid buff grey colour is unusual.This axe is broadly sub-rectangular in plan and sub-oval (humped) in cross section. In plan the sides of the axe taper from the widest point at the cutting edge to a relatively narrow flat faced butt. The axe measures 87.8mm length, 51.6mm width (at the widest point), and is 25.4mm thick. The axe weighs 154.46 grams. The sides of the axe have clear well defined side facets and the cutting edge is also formed from several facets. In places these facets have been polished away. The cutting edge is complete and well defined, it is crescent shaped in plan. Several small flakes have been removed along the cutting edge, these are not deliberate sharpening but likely to be caused by movement in the plough soil. The area around the butt of the axe is unusual, in that the axe terminates with a flat (but slanting) butt. This may be a product of damage in antiquity, in that the butt may have been damaged and then subsequently reworked. If this was the case the butt has also been polished, although not to the finish of the rest of the axe. Below the butt of the axe on each side (approximately ΒΌ of the length along the axe) are two areas of possible damage. This damage occurred after the polishing of the axe, as the side facets extend either of it. The damage is more extensive on one edge, when compared to the other. It consists of several crude flakes being removed to create two notches. The skill of this work is relatively poor as there are several large hinge fractures present. The purpose of this work is probably to aid the hafting of the axe enabling a more secure grip to be established. Both these areas have a similar patina on them suggesting that this damage occurred prior to deposition. It is possible that one of these notches has been struck by the plough whilst in the soil as a small area of relatively fresh surface is present. Other damage also exists on both the edges / side of the axe and also on the body. All of these are likely to be due to movement within the burial environment. There are also a number of linear, patinated, scratches present on both blade faces, these may represent sharpening. The colour of these areas is also different being a mid grey rather than a buff grey.The axe is a mid buff grey colour with a smooth well polished on the majority of faces. A series of longitudinal scratches are present which may be the result of the polishing process. The areas of damage and flaking have been outlined above. It is impossible to source axes such as these without a detailed petrological analysis of the rock. This would allow the original source of the rock to be established. The colour of the tuff is unusual and different to the majority of axes seen from Shropshire.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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