AXEHEAD

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 black 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. 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 rounded butt. The axe measures 128.2mm length, 58.3mm width, and is 30.4mm thick. The fragment weighs 277.27 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 faces have been polished away. The cutting edge is complete and well defined, it is crescent shaped in plan. The butt of the axe is complete but has been damaged and several flake scars are present. The axe has been damaged in several areas. The first area of significant damage is at the butt of the axehead. Here the damage is twofold, first is the relatively recent damage. This has been caused by a plough to the butt that has removed a wide flake, the scar of which extends approximately ¼ of the way along the axe. On the other face of the axe butt the damage is much more wide spread with most of the surface being knapped. Three long flake scars are present several of which terminate in hinge fractures. The three scars are parallel with one another. This would indicate deliberate, although not well executed, knapping. Evidence to support this is the development of a patina over the scars. This patina (aged surface) is not present on scar on the reverse. The second area of damage is on the edge of one face of the axe. Here two shallow flake scars can be seen. They both have a patina on their surface. Both of these are relatively shallow. The final area of significant damage is to the cutting edge / blade of the axe. Here several small chips, sub-circular scars have been removed form the surface of the axe, these are all relatively recent and would indicate some form of movement in the ground. One other area of damage should be noted; this is evident on both faces of the axe and the damage is in the form of several deep scratches and chips. These all have a patina and are located at approximately the mid-point of the axe. These areas of damage may come from a deliberate scratching of the surface of the axe in the Neolithic to provide a better grip for the hafting of the axe. The axe is a mid green grey colour with a smooth well polished surface. 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. However, the colour of the tuff is typical of axes from the Langdale procurement source in the Lake District. (Group VI).