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AXEHEAD ROUGHOUT
Unique ID: CORN-00EE57
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Metamafic greenstone axe roughout which has been petrologically analysed by Dr. Roger Taylor as part of the Clodgy Moor Project. Sub-ovate in section and plan with angled sides that taper towards the butt end, and lozenge-shaped in profile. The roughout has been shaped and ground from a weathered cobble to create a blade end and sides to the axe. The roughout is off-centre and its section not quite elliptical, or symmetrical either side of the mid-line. This shows that it was made from a cobble where one side maintains the original smooth surface that is due to the underlying crystalline formation over time, and the other has been pecked and ground, giving it a rougher, newly exposed surface which comes from inside the cobble (Dave Weddle pers comm). The greenstone is typical of that found in the west of Cornwall from known outcrops such as Penlee and contains pale felspars and dark amphibole inclusions (Dr. Roger Taylor pers comm - see notes below).
Examples of similar roughouts and axes have been excavated from the Neolithic settlement at Carn Brea (Mercer, 1981) and are referred to and illustrated on pages 155 & 158, Fig.64, Nos.S5 & CO166.
Notes:
Report by Dr Roger Taylor:
Section 4, core 4. Field 490 No.567.1
Metamafic 'greenstone'; part of a 'greenstone boulder judged by curvature. One side is evidently a water-smoothed surface and the opposite side roughly worked by chipping to form an axe shape. If this is indeed an axe roughout it is an excellent example of the employment of water worn beach material as a source of raw material.
Subsequent actions
Current location of find: Royal Cornwall Museum
Subsequent action after recording: Donated to a museum
Chronology
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
Period from: NEOLITHIC
Date from: Circa 4500 BC
Date to: Circa 2100 BC
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 167 mm
Width: 83 mm
Thickness: 53 mm
Weight: 930.2 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Thursday 3rd December 2009 - Thursday 3rd December 2009
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: 567.1
Museum accession number: 2011.23
Materials and construction
Primary material: Stone
Manufacture method: Ground/polished
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: South West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
District: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Paul (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SW4526
Four figure Latitude: 50.079285
Four figure longitude: -5.565627
1:25K map: SW4526
1:10K map: SW46SE
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer, R.J. | 1981 | Excavations at Carn Brea, Illogan, Cornwall, 1970-73 | Callington | Penwell Ltd. | 155 & 158, Fig.64, | Nos.S5 & CO166 |
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Timeline of associated dates
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