AXEHEAD

A Neolithic fully polished stone axe of pale olive colour with a few minor ancient chips to both ends. There is a larger sub-conchoidal recent damage flake removed towards the middle of one face, the stone in this facet is of a grey/green nature and is unpatinated showing the original colour of the rock. The lateral edges are sharply faceted and the cutting edge shows signs of being re-flaked and reground, thus the axe may have been much larger originally. Surviving dimensions: 114.5 x 65 x 32mm.

This stone has its origins in Cumbria and is a product of the Great Langdale axe "factory" where Epidotized Intermediate Volcanic Tuff (Petrological Group VI) was sourced in the uplands and roughed-out (knapped) on the outcrop itself, then transported elsewhere and painstakingly ground into shape using varying grades of sand and sandstone to form the polished surface. Experiments of this process "suggests seven to nine hours of labour for an all-over ground Group VI axe head and up to three times as long for a flint one." (Bradley and Edmonds 1993; P. Harding 1987; Whittle, Healey and Bayliss 2011.)

Stone axes of Group VI have a wide distribution throughout the UK (Clough and Cummins 1988, map 6, P. 270) and have been found as far away as Poland. In Norfolk however there are several casual finds across the county, but with a marked concentration towards the West and the South-West along the Fens and the Fen edge (Clough and Green 1972). This new axe fits in well with previous discoveries.

The Fenland Project (EAA 78, Healy 1996) surveyed the parishes of Hilgay, Feltwell, Hockwold cum Wilton, Methwold, Northwold, Southery and Weeting with Broomhill and unearthed many exotic stone implements of Neolithic date. From 60 identifiable finds of non-local stone, 11 of them where of Group VI, mostly axes and adzes.