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-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: 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: NMS-4FDF2E
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Complete Neolithic thin butted axe, of pale grey flint now partially patinated white with spotty iron scrapes from agricultural machinery to both faces, the high points of the flake scars towards the cutting has been partially ground and polished, though not to any great degree. Both lateral edges have been abraded to help with hafting, the edges are blunted so as not to dig in to the top and bottom of the wood hafting, this would start a longitudinal split in the handle along the grain if it was used otherwise. A well-made example with good symmetry and fairly straight sides, the cut…
Created on: Wednesday 17th November 2021
Last updated: Tuesday 8th February 2022
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-1DC168
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Butt end of a part polished flaked axe, most of the grinding and polishing is restricted to the lateral edges (rounded) and the high points to the flake scars: - of pale grey patinated flint with a few spots of iron staining to both faces, the cutting edge has broken in antiquity and an attempt at reshaping the edge has been roughly knapped at the break, it appears that the remnants of the axe was discarded at this point. Neolithic, 4,000 to 2,350 BC.
Created on: Monday 27th September 2021
Last updated: Tuesday 28th September 2021
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-0D74BA
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Neolithic ground and polished axe that has been broken in antiquity, it appears that the end with the cutting edge has been successfully reshaped by direct percussion into an adze and re-used. The cutting edge on the dorsal face has been left intact as it was when it was an axe, the ventral face (now the flatter of the two faces) has had only the very end of the cutting left unmodified by percussion, the area directly behind this has been cleverly knapped and has enabled a broken axe to be reused as a different tool, albeit a little shorter than it was originally. A small part of the …
Created on: Thursday 2nd September 2021
Last updated: Thursday 2nd September 2021
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-1735EB
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Flaked axe of pale grey flint with spotty iron stains and darker brown scrapes from agricultural machinery to the surfaces, (this is usually common with flints found on the surface of a cultivated field), the coarser inclusions within the flint are white to off-white. All surfaces appear to be modified by flake removals, these are confidently knapped with good flake terminations, only a few at the steeper angles around the edges have hinged slightly, the knapper has dealt well with the coarse inclusions that will usually stop a flake from running, it is quite thick compared with its …
Created on: Wednesday 28th July 2021
Last updated: Thursday 29th July 2021
No spatial data available.

Record ID: NMS-CF8172
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Flaked axe, of mottled flint now impressively patinated orange, brown and black from exposure to iron oxides from deposition in sands and gravels, all flake scars appear to be relatively hard hammer struck with large negative bulbs of percussion visable to some of the flake removals. The cutting edge appears to be damaged in antiquity with the steep angles produced from this being similarly patinated to the rest of the axe. Broadly Neolithic, 4,000 to 2350 BC.
Created on: Monday 1st March 2021
Last updated: Tuesday 2nd March 2021
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-5023B1
Object type: AXE
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Complete Mesolithic adze, of off-white patinated flint with spotty iron stains to both faces. Both faces are confidently knapped, creating the dorsal face with steep angles and a slightly meandering medial ridge, the ventral face has been knapped so it is much flatter, giving the adze a sub-triangular section. All flake scars appear to be hard hammer struck, there is a slight asymmetry to the plan view with one lateral edge much straighter than the other. The broader or the two ends has been sharpened with a "tranchet" flake removal, this has been struck from the side, taking a l…
Created on: Tuesday 23rd February 2021
Last updated: Wednesday 31st March 2021
No spatial data available.

Record ID: NMS-83A135
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Reworked fragment of a Neolithic ground and polished axe, probably broken in use as an axe, then reworked into a small biface with a patch of the original polished surface left to one lateral edge. All flakes are invasive and it has been worked to a sub-rectangular plan, the intended secondary tool remains obscure, it may have been an attempt at some sort of fairly thick bifacial single edged knife, with the abaded surface forming a blunt back. Neolithic, 4,000 to 2350 BC.
Created on: Monday 3rd February 2020
Last updated: Tuesday 3rd March 2020
Spatial data recorded.

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Record ID: NMS-0D6243
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Fragment of a Neolithic flaked axehead, of unpatinated mottled grey flint, only the pointed butt remains, the flint has been burnt and is covered with fine, crazed cracks, one face is more affected than the other and has two areas of fire spalling. The transverse break is hackly in texture, the axe was burnt, then broken at a later date. Neolithic, 4,000 to 2,350 BC.
Created on: Monday 24th June 2019
Last updated: Monday 24th June 2019
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-DF4706
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Neolithic partially ground and polished axe, of slender thin-butted form with an ancient transverse break to the butt, it is of unpatinated mottled grey flint with iron scrapes to both faces. The cutting edge is still sharp with only one small recent chip, both lateral edges are ground to aid with hafting.
Created on: Tuesday 15th January 2019
Last updated: Thursday 9th July 2020
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-F506F1
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Large and elongated axe or chisel, of light mottled grey flint becoming darker towards the butt, with brown patinated coarse inclusions throughout. All flake removals are hared hammer struck with only a few terminating in hinges, no grinding is noted to either the cutting edge or the lateral edges. Slight asymmetry to the profile may cause some to classify this piece as an adze.
Created on: Friday 4th January 2019
Last updated: Thursday 24th August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-E21D6A
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Incomplete ground and polished axe fragment, only the cutting edge remains, the axe was broken transversely whilst in use, both faces bear "plunging" flake scars created at the moment of breaking, a common feature of axe fragments. Of unpatinated dark grey flint with pale coarse inclusions, one face is paler than the other and is also has iron scrapes from agricultural tools.
Created on: Thursday 3rd January 2019
Last updated: Wednesday 17th February 2021
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-C23B2E
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Over half of a Neolithic ground and polished axe, of light and dark banded and mottled flint, the coarse inclusions are an off-white colour. The butt has been broken transversely in antiquity, the cutting edge is asymmetrical and highly polished, giving a sheen that fades into the rest of the axe. One large flake has been removed recently to the cutting edge, revealing the flint was indeed brown to begin with.
Created on: Monday 26th November 2018
Last updated: Tuesday 27th November 2018
Spatial data recorded.

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Record ID: NMS-38A547
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Possible Neolithic axe rough-out, in very fresh condition and unpatinated, of dark grey slightly mottled flint with pale grey coarse inclusions, with three small patches of thin, white cortex to the dorsal face. All edges are still sharp with no abrasion noted, flake removals appear to be hard hammer struck with deep negative bulbal scars, some removals have hinged, but not to a great degree, apart from one large flake scar to the right lateral side when viewed with the dorsal face uppermost and with the broadest to the top, this has failed to under-cut the thickest part of the axe an…
Created on: Thursday 20th September 2018
Last updated: Wednesday 21st November 2018
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-3BFC85
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Butt end of a broken axe, bifacially knapped, one side is patinated white, the other is less patinated and is mottled grey, both faces have spotty iron stains. The transverse break has been knapped in an (unsuccessful) attempt to reshape this fragment into a much smaller axe. No grinding or polishing noted.
Created on: Friday 15th June 2018
Last updated: Tuesday 19th June 2018
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-DF5433
Object type: AXE
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Short, stout axe of off-white patination with the coarse inclusions now light grey in appearance, with spotty iron stains to both faces, mostly to the high points. All flake removals are hard hammer struck, the flaking angles to the edges are at 90 degrees so many removals have repeatedly terminated in step or hinges, the edges are not ground after flaking. The cutting edge is only slightly convex and is very likely to have been reshaped from an originally longer axe, presumably after damage to the original cutting edge has occurred from use. The patination is complete and unmarred…
Created on: Monday 23rd April 2018
Last updated: Friday 4th May 2018
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-A4C36D
Object type: AXE
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Mesolithic axe or adze, flaked from a large thermal (frost) fracture, now patinated mottled brown and black with white inclusions within the flint. Semi-bifacially flaked with hard hammer percussion, with areas of the the original blank remaining unworked on both faces. The butt is broken transversely in antiquity, possibly from end shock during use. The cutting edge is flaked centrepetally, unusually without a tranchet blow.
Created on: Sunday 8th April 2018
Last updated: Tuesday 21st July 2020
Spatial data recorded.