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POLISHED AXEHEAD
Unique ID: SUR-D373BB
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A complete polished hardstone axehead of Neolithic date. The axehead is 123.6mm in length and 61.3mm wide, with a lenticular side profile and an oval cross section 37mm thick. The butt is rounded and the sides flare slightly towards the blade end before narrowing into the curved cutting edge. One face demonstrates damage from weathering, whilst the other side remains smooth with visible striations from polishing. This suggests that the axehead has spent considerable time partially buried in riverbed sediment with only one face exposed to the moving water.
The axehead is made from a hard and fine grained dark grey volcanic stone with no visible inclusions; the stone demonstrates fine laminations of paler material (layered volcanic ash) suggesting it is comprised of a volcaniclastic tuff. A suggested geological provenance is an Ordovician source in the Lake District, possibly Pike o' Stickle or somewhere in the region of the Langdale axe factory.
Notes:
With thanks to Mike Saunders for the Geological identification.
Find of note status
This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
Period from: NEOLITHIC
Period to: NEOLITHIC
Date from: Circa 4000 BC
Date to: Circa 2000 BC
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 123.6 mm
Width: 61.3 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight: 421.85 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 18th April 2022
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
Other reference: RK0172; PUT0081
Materials and construction
Primary material: Stone
Manufacture method: Ground/polished
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: London (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Greater London Authority (Greater London Authority)
District: Wandsworth (London Borough)
Parish or ward: Thamesfield (London Borough Ward)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TQ2475
Four figure Latitude: 51.46040223
Four figure longitude: -0.21650964
1:25K map: TQ2475
1:10K map: TQ27NW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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