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Date: |
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Description: | A stone axe dating from the Neolithic period. The axe has been ground from a fine grained igneous greenstone, probably from a volcanic ash deposit. The patina of the surface of the axe is a green/grey, whilst damage shows a dark grey interior. The surface of the axe is quite badly scuffed, chipped and scarred in places, probably a result of plough damage. The axe measures 305.55 mm long, and is 51.12 wide at its widest, tapering to 25 mm wide at the haft end. It is 32 mm thick at its thickest and weighs 29.07 grams. There are clear facets on either edge. The axehead would have been hafted into a shaft at the narrowest end, and it would probably have been secured using twine.Grinding occurs after 4000 BC, so this axe is likely to have a date range of between 4000-2500 BC. Axes were ground using large stones used for the purpose. A standing stone visible on Penmaenmawr, Gwnedd, Wales, for example, has been worn through use as a grinding stone. Grinding or polishing axes was a manfuacturing technique which produced less facets than knapping or chipping the stone, meaning that there would be less chance of breakage during use. However, a ground axe would also have been aesthetically pleasing and these objects almost certainly played a symbolic and ritual role in many Neolithic societies, and they would have been impressive and prestigious items to own. Ground axes were traded or exchanged over very long distances, and there are even examples known from Britain which, based on petrographic analysis, have been shown to have originated in the Alps. It is uncertain where this example originated from, but there are sources known from Ireland, North Wales and Great Langdale in the Lake District.
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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