Rights Holder: York Museums Trust
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Unique ID: YORYM-BF3D64
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
An almost complete very fine and well finished axe of Neolithic to early Bronze Age date. The object has an rounded oval section, which has been ground at one end to form a chamfered blade end. The blade has broken in places, as a result of shallow chips. It is important to notice the polishing striations which have been left behind on the surface of the axe. On the rounded surfaces the striations are longitudinal, where as the striations on the blade section are more irregular and curved. The blade proper has short longitudinal striations, this is where the chipping has occurred. The opposite end of the axe, the butt end, has been shaped into a blunt cone, with little other detail. The object is constructed of a fine grained igneous volcanic rock with the appearance of a porphyritic basalt. The phenocrysts (crystals) are most likely plagioclase feldspar. The stone has a dark brownish-black patina. The object has been highly polished resulting in a smooth, glossy texture, albeit pitted in places. The object is probably an axehead dating to circa 3500-1500 BC.
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: NEOLITHIC
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: BRONZE AGE
Date from: Circa 3500 BC
Date to: Circa 1500 BC
Quantity: 1
Length: 118.4 mm
Width: 42.4 mm
Thickness: 36.6 mm
Weight: 288 g
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 26th September 2009
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Primary material: Stone
Manufacture method: Ground/polished
Completeness: Incomplete
Grid reference source: Centred on village (which isn't a parish)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.