Rights Holder: Northamptonshire County Council
CC License:
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Unique ID: NARC-6F2B26
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
An incomplete ground and polished Langdale axehead. Made from an Igneous green stone which is probably sourced from the Lake District, Cornwall or Wales. The side facets are polished. The butt end is broken away and the blade edge and one side are chipped,most likely caused post-depostion rather than ancient use-wear. One face is slightly flattened, while the opposite face has more deliberate flattening. The broken butt end is worn, suggesting an old break.
Dr. Tom Brindle writes: "Grinding occurs after 4000 BC, so this axe is likely to have a date range of between 4000-2500 BC. Axes were ground using large stones used for the purpose. Grinding or polishing axes was a manfuacturing technique which produced less facets than knapping or chipping the stone, meaning that there would be less chance of breakage during use. However, a ground axe would also have been aesthetically pleasing and these objects almost certainly played a symbolic and ritual role in many Neolithic societies, and they would have been impressive and prestigious items to own. Ground axes were traded or exchanged over very long distances, and there are even examples known from Britain which, based on petrographic analysis, have been shown to have originated in the Alps.
This is a find of note and has been designated: County / local importance
Class: langdale
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: NEOLITHIC
Subperiod to: Middle
Period to: NEOLITHIC
Date from: Circa 4000 BC
Date to: Circa 2500 BC
Quantity: 1
Length: 89 mm
Width: 68 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight: 238 g
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Primary material: Stone
Manufacture method: Ground/polished
Completeness: Incomplete
4 Figure: TL0274
Four figure Latitude: 52.354585
Four figure longitude: -0.503778
1:25K map: TL0274
1:10K map: TL07SW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.