Record ID: NMS-6159F8
Object type: AXE
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Elongated axe or adze of extraordinary form and patination, the cutting edge and one side of the butt are damaged, as well as three smaller chips to one lateral edge, these show the flint was originally dark grey/black, the surfaces are now patinated white and dark rusty mottles the darker orange is more pronounced to the dorsal face than the ventral (flatter of the two), the edges and the high points to the flake scars of the flint is breaking down and re-corticating, especially to the paler of the two sides, all flake scars appear to be semi-hard hammer struck and neatly overlap at t…
Created on: Wednesday 21st February 2024
Last updated: Wednesday 3rd April 2024
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-E38598
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A heavy butted Neolithic fully ground and polished flint axe, of white patinated flint with a slightly grey inclusions to one face, all surfaces have both spotty iron stains and streaks from contact with agricultural machinery. The axe has been damaged at some point to the cutting edge, it appears that a large flake has initiated at the cutting edge (presumably in use) and has left a “plunging” flake to one face, the flake has terminated in a large step fracture, this is a common feature to axes that have broken in use, like NMS-7AE7C9, NMS-E21D6A and NMS-4EA515, the last t…
Created on: Thursday 15th February 2024
Last updated: Wednesday 21st February 2024
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: HAMP-118DF6
Object type: AXE
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
County: Dorset
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete copper alloy cast palstave with side loop  and lozenge-shaped flanges. The object has a flared blade with a sub- triangular-shaped depression (on front and back) and a worn central mid-rib below the stop-ridge.   The cutting edge is crescentic and relatively unworn; the blade bevels are well formed and the tips of the blade show little sign of wear or resharpening. On the upper blade on both the front and reverse faces is a cast / moulded indented shield-shape pattern.  The loop is relatively small and low. The two slide flanges are well cast and …
Created on: Friday 12th January 2024
Last updated: Tuesday 23rd April 2024
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-9C98C0
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Nearly complete, part polished axe, of orange patinated flint, the grey spots to this face are the coarse inclusions within the flint, the other face is a lighter buff colour, probably due to the chalk or other alkali within the deposits it was lain in, the orange is usually due to exposure to iron oxides in glacial sands, this piece must have been deposited on a chalk/sand change in stratification to acquire the differential patination. The cutting edge is recently damaged on one side, this shows the original colour of the flint to have been mottled light greys. All surfaces are mod…
Created on: Wednesday 13th December 2023
Last updated: Monday 18th December 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-F32111
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Thick, triangular sectioned blade, soft hammer struck from broken axe; one side of the blade is fully polished and was originally part of the outer surface of the axe, given the curvature of the polished face of this flake it appears it was taken from the curve towards the cutting edge, near to one side of the axe, using the transverse break in the axehead as a platform. Broken axeheads do get used as a core occasionally as they would produce flakes with a polished dorsal surface if they could not be reshaped in to a smaller axe, such as this example: SWYOR-CDDF43. Neolithic, 4,000 to …
Created on: Tuesday 5th December 2023
Last updated: Tuesday 9th January 2024
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: IOW-41186A
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Isle of Wight
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Fragment of a Neolithic knapped stone axehead, c.4000-2500 BC. The axe is made from white flint with greyish inclusions. The axehead appears to have been partially polished after knapping, then received later damage along the cutting edge, where flakes have chipped off. The axe is slender and lenticular in cross section.  For a more complete example, see ESS-BDF267.
Created on: Wednesday 27th September 2023
Last updated: Monday 16th October 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Isle of Wight', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: LON-81C45E
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Greater London Authority
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete Neolithic polished flint axehead dating from 4000-2200 BC.  Dimensions: length: 91.77mm; width: 49.83mm; thickness: 25.22mm; weight: 140.83g
Created on: Monday 18th September 2023
Last updated: Friday 15th December 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: LON-81C098
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Greater London Authority
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A Neolithic polished flint axehead dating from 4000-2200 BC. The axehead has a pointed lozenge shaped cross section.  Dimensions: length: 158mm; width: 64.11mm; thickness: 34.87mm; weight: 456g
Created on: Monday 18th September 2023
Last updated: Friday 15th December 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: ESS-BDF267
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Essex
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete polished stone axe of Neolithic date (4000-2500BC) Description: The axe is made from mid grey stone with iron staining in places, it has been knapped and then polished to give a smooth appearance. The surface has some later damage where flakes have chipped off, particularly along the cutting edge, which appear darker grey. The axe is sub-triangular in plan and lenticular in cross section. It is narrower at the butt end, measuring 25.2mm wide and 10.6mm thick. It is thickest at the mid-section, measuring 30.8mm. It is widest at the curved cutting edge, measuring 48.4mm …
Created on: Monday 10th July 2023
Last updated: Tuesday 18th July 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: LIN-BC4CCE
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A fragment of a Neolithic polished axe of Group VI Great Langdale volcanic tuff dating to c. 4000 - 2200 BC. Only the cutting edge portion has survived and it is sub-rectangular in form and pointed oval in cross-section. The cutting edge has been reworked with a smoothed lateral facet or is very worn. The axe thickens towards the truncated end and there is some damage to the surviving lengths. Smooth surface with a greyish-green patina.  Length (originally the width, measured diagonally to the longest length): 65.69 mm; Width (originally the length)…
Created on: Monday 10th July 2023
Last updated: Monday 17th July 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Near Donington', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: YORYM-CBBDF4
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: North Yorkshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete stone axehead of Neolithic date, c. 3500 - 2100 BC. Only the cutting edge of the axehead survives and is D-shaped in plan and ovate in section. The remaining surfaces are smooth and the break is worn and smooth. The rounded cutting edge is fractured with worn breaks. The axe fragment is 53.9mm long, 60mm wide, 18.3mm thick and weighs 81.8g. The axe is comprised of a grey-green fine-grained siliceous tuff - a sedimentary volcanic rock possibly from the Great Langdale quarries in Cumbria. This stone was most probably chosen for its colour and fineness which allowe…
Created on: Thursday 11th May 2023
Last updated: Tuesday 16th May 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-B80676
Object type: AXE
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Complete Mesolithic adze or axe, of orange and brown patinated flint, originally it would have been of grey/black flint. All flake scars appear to be hard hammer struck, especially the very large and deep removal on one face (ventral), the opposing face (dorsal) has a large tranchet flake removal to the top of the cutting edge, this would have served to sharpen the entire cutting edge in one blow, one of the defining features of Mesolithic flint knapping, the axes and adzes of the Neolithic achieved a sharp cutting edge by smaller flake removals and/or grinding and polishing the surfac…
Created on: Wednesday 10th May 2023
Last updated: Thursday 11th May 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: ESS-FC7EF4
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Essex
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete flaked and polished flint axe of Neolithic date (4,000 – 2,000 BC) Description: The axe is unusually slender, measuring 150mm in length and only 45mm at its maximum width, and has an irregular oval cross-section. It is complete and in very good condition. The butt is narrow (13mm wide) and tapering with blunt end, whilst the sides are asymmetrical, one having a marked curve and the other rather straighter. The blade edge has a shallow curved form. The sides are flaked to form a blunt edge and are slightly twisted in both cases. The faces are largely flaked, but there …
Created on: Wednesday 19th April 2023
Last updated: Friday 21st April 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: SWYOR-604B29
Object type: AXE
Broad period: IRON AGE
County: North Yorkshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A small body fragment of a cast, copper-alloy Sompting Type socketed axe of early Iron Age date, about 800 BC - 600 BC. Only a small sub-rectangular section of the main body of the axe survives with the breaks indicating its fragmentation in antiquity. The reverse is plain but the front face has two parallel ribs, each terminating in a pellet-in-circlet motif. The fragment is 24.3mm long, 21.4mm wide and 7.5mm thick. It weighs 16.4g. Compare SF-581FD5,  FAKL-FB5DF6 and DOR-8496B6. A complete example is YORYM-FB2336 which notes that Rib-and-circle, rib-and…
Created on: Monday 6th March 2023
Last updated: Wednesday 12th April 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: ESS-EA5B9E
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Essex
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A very large stone axe with a semi-circular blade, which slightly flares out from both sides, tapering sides and a narrow circular butt. The axe is oval in cross-section. The blade edge is very chipped. The axe is made of a greenish-coloured stone which is very uniform in colour and texture. The surface appears to have been polished, with evidence surviving on one side close to the blade, but is now very pitted. There are two shallow longitudinal grooves on one face. The axe measures 195 mm long, 82 mm wide (across the blade) and 47 mm thick. The butt is approximately 16 mm i…
Created on: Monday 23rd January 2023
Last updated: Monday 6th March 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Walton', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: WAW-48B0CD
Object type: AXE
Broad period: UNKNOWN
County: County of Herefordshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete, iron axehead of unknown date, probably Early Medieval to Modern (c. AD 900-1900). The axehead starts at 96.77mm high near the blade, tapering to 53.98mm high near the back whilst also expanding from 6.01mm wide to 18.78mm wide towards the back of the head. At this point, it suddenly curves towards a triangular section that starts at 7.34mm wide and tapers to 3.51mm wide near the end. There are no remains of a socket and the axe is corroded and incomplete. Dimensions. Length: 109.21mm. Width: 18.78mm. Height: 96.77mm. Weight: 570g.
Created on: Thursday 22nd December 2022
Last updated: Tuesday 10th January 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-F27DB7
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Elongated, thin butted flaked axe: - of mottled dark grey and light grey flint with a slight orange patination to the surfaces, this orange is more pronounced to the sinuous coarse inclusion to the flatter of the two faces. All flake scars are soft hammer struck with feathered flake terminations, all confidently struck. The cutting edge is very slightly rounded, one side of which is recently damaged, another small loss to the mid-point to one edge above the missing cutting edge as well, and another loss to the opposing edge, just below the butt, these show the original colour of the …
Created on: Monday 12th September 2022
Last updated: Wednesday 14th September 2022
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-F2572B
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Large part-polished axe in excellent condition, of orange patinated flint with the coarse inclusions now a pale off-white colour, the very tip of the butt retains the original grey colour of the flint, one face has a couple of light iron scrapes from agricultural machinery. One lateral edge is lightly damaged recently, this interrupts the ground and minimally rounded edges of the axe, the cutting edge is almost a perfect semi-circle in plan and is ground and polished, not quite removing the flake scars from the surface, similar work to smooth off the high points to both faces has been…
Created on: Monday 12th September 2022
Last updated: Wednesday 14th September 2022
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-F2223C
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Cornish greenstone axe with a degraded and weathered surface, this is usual for this type of stone, otherwise it is complete: -of petrological Group 1 or 1 a, (Group 1, Uralitized gabbro, epidiorite, or greenstone. Source in Mount’s Bay area, near Penzance, Cornwall. Widely distributed and abundant. Keiller, Piggott, and Wallis, PPS, 7 (1941), 51. Group 1 a, Close to Group 1. Stone and Wallis, PPS, 17 (1951), 105). Specific for this axe: Stone Imp. Pet. N308. Late Neolithic, 3,000 to 2,350 BC. See records: NMS-F2F3DB NMS-F27DB7 NMS-F2572B NMS-C0A67B fo…
Created on: Monday 12th September 2022
Last updated: Wednesday 14th September 2022
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: SUR-F970C3
Object type: AXE
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Surrey
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A small iron axehead, probably from a carpenter's axe. The blade is triangular and straight sided, 211mm and 105mm deep. The rear end has a tubular socket 67mm long and 22mm wide with a triangular aperture for the handle. The socket appears to be slightly asymmetrical which suggests wrought rather than cast iron construction and thus a pre-modern date.  Axes are hard to date as they do not change much in style from the Roman period to the Post-Medieval. This axe does however conform closely to Ward Perkins' (1940) Type II (page 57, numbe…
Created on: Tuesday 26th July 2022
Last updated: Tuesday 26th July 2022
Spatial data recorded.