Record ID: LEIC-396F9C
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Cumbria
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A Neolithic to early Bronze Age polished stone perforated object, dating to c. 2800 - 2100 BC. The object is sub-rectangular with slightly convex sides, it is pointed oval in section. Positioned in the centre is a circular perforation which has a slight hourglass form. The butt of the object is slightly rounded towards the butt and shows some wear through use. The opposing edge slopes more sharply into the cutting edge, this is mostly worn through use. The surface on all sides is smooth and only slightly pitted. The stone is dark grey in colour.  Length: 102 mm…
Created on: Wednesday 7th February 2024
Last updated: Friday 23rd February 2024
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: LIN-8CA723
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete perforated stone tool, possibly a mace head or pebble hammer, probably dating from the Mesolithic to Neolithic date c.9000 BC- 2400 BC. A fine-ish grained [<0.5 mm] basic igneous rock of grey appearance. The object is broadly sub-oval in shape and sub-rectangular cross section with gentle concave sides. In the centre on both sides is a sub-oval perforation, bored into both sides, although the two recesses do not meet in the middle.  It is possible that this piece is a prehistoric stone tool, possibly unfinsihed, although a natu…
Created on: Monday 6th November 2023
Last updated: Tuesday 7th November 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NCL-5FDBC1
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: County Durham
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A stone perforated artefact of probable Mesolithic or Neolithic date, c. 10000-2351 BC.  The artefact is a rounded sub-circular sandstone with two central shallow convex dimples on each face, and a lenticular cross-section. Each dimple shows evidence of 'pecking', which may have been used together with griding to create the dimples. Scratches and nicks across both faces may be a mixture of contemporary adaptation, post-depositional damage and geological flaws. Dark brown/reddish staining around the perimeter of the dimples might be evidence of heat damage, …
Created on: Wednesday 23rd August 2023
Last updated: Wednesday 4th October 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: CORN-B7EE7F
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: UNKNOWN
County: Cornwall
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete perforated object made of stone, possibly a mace head or quern stone dating from the Mesolithic to Medieval periods (c. 9000 BC - AD 1066). The object is crescent shaped in plan with a central perforation which is hourglass in section, indicating that the stone has been worked on both sides. It is probable that the object was sub-circular or sub-oval in plan when complete. It is sub-oval in cross-section.  The stone is light brown-grey in colour with some areas of white, possible quartz, present. Measurements: Length, 70.62mm; Width, 68.44…
Created on: Tuesday 14th February 2023
Last updated: Friday 17th March 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: LEIC-9AC294
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Nottinghamshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A Neolithic to early Bronze Age polished stone perforated object, dating to c. 2800 - 2100 BC. The object is sub-rectangular with slightly convex sides, it is pointed oval in section. Positioned slightly off-centre is a circular perforation which has an hourglass form. The butt of the object is slightly rounded towards the butt and shows some wear through use. The opposing edge slopes more sharply into the cutting edge, this is mostly worn through use. The surface on all sides is smooth and only slightly pitted. The stone is dark grey in colour.  Length: 123.2 mm Width: 77.2 …
Created on: Wednesday 14th December 2022
Last updated: Tuesday 20th December 2022
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: SF-897B89
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A perforated stone implement of probable Mesolithic to Neolithic date. It is sub-ovoid in shape with one rounded end and one narrower, angular end. There is a cylindrical perforation situated behind the narrower end, c.31mm in diameter. There are linear marks on both faces and around the wider end indicative of impact during use. It is made from a fine grained, light yellow, sedimentary stone. The precise function of these objects is debated, although they are frequently described as 'mace heads'. Dating is also uncertain. Although traditionally thought to …
Created on: Wednesday 7th September 2022
Last updated: Friday 27th January 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Near Woodbridge', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: NLM-4C99D6
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Gritstone perforated stone implement fragment. Suggested date: Late Mesolithic, 6000-4000 BC Length: 92.4mm, Width: 31.1mm, Thickness: 41.4mm
Created on: Tuesday 23rd August 2022
Last updated: Tuesday 23rd August 2022
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: LVPL-C1FEF9
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
County: Cheshire West and Chester
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete perforated stone tool, possibly a mace head, dating to the Neolithic (c. 3500-2100 BC). The object is broadly oval in shape and cross section with a rounded end. In the centre is a circular perforation with a hour-glass form. It is here the object breaks with roughly three quarters of the perforation complete. The break is worn and irregular with slightly more of the object surviving on one side than the other. The surface is smooth with multiple striations present. The rock has dark grey colour and is rich in mica. Dimensions: Length 108.26mm; width 68.23mm; t…
Created on: Tuesday 5th April 2022
Last updated: Thursday 5th May 2022
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: SF-13FA27
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: UNKNOWN
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A fragment of a perforated whetstone, or shapening stone, of uncertain Bronze Age to post-medieval date. It is an elongated rectangular shape with a small circular hole through the surviving end. The rock is fine-grained grey-brown with a laminar fracture. Length: 47.79mm, width: 13.35mm, thickness: 5.39mm, weight: 5.71g
Created on: Monday 10th February 2020
Last updated: Monday 10th February 2020
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Boxted', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF-BDE2BD
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A perforated stone implement of probable Mesolithic to Neolithic date. It is roughly oval in shape with one rounded end and one straight end and is pointed oval in cross-section. There is a small circular hour-glass-shaped perforation through the centre. There is a small amount of damage to both faces and around the edges. The stone appears to be igneous of uncertain origin. The precise function of these objects is debated, although they are frequently described as 'mace heads'. Dating is also uncertain. Although traditionally thought to be of Mesolithic date, their use seems to …
Created on: Thursday 6th February 2020
Last updated: Monday 24th February 2020
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Boxted', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: WILT-0EA3EB
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Wiltshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A Mesolithic or Neolithic perforated pebble hammer, probably dating to 9,000-2,400 BC. The object is ovate in plan, profile and cross section, with its thickest point at the perforation; the latter is centrally placed and drilled from both faces with convex sides. The pebble exhibits battering damage at either narrow end, although it is more significant at one than the other. The stone is of a purplish-red and is probably a quartzite. Length 113.1mm; width 82.1mm; thickness 29.1mm; weight >300g. Diameter of perforation 26.9mm tapering to c.16mm. Comparable perforated pebble to…
Created on: Tuesday 17th September 2019
Last updated: Tuesday 17th September 2019
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: SUR-142448
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A fragment of a flat, sub rectangular pierced stone object with a plano convex lenticular cross sectional profile and tapering edges on the three surviving sides. The stone is a hard and coarse grained grey-green rock of non-local type, possibly igneous, with abundant inclusions of quartz or feldspar. The pierced hole has been worked from both sides and has a slight hour glass profile with clear tool marks on the inner surface suggesting the use of metal tools in its fabrication. The coarse grain, lack of finish and thin, uneven profile all contraindicate a prehistoric origin. Found o…
Created on: Wednesday 31st July 2019
Last updated: Friday 23rd June 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: IOW-1A7D8B
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Isle of Wight
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete late Mesolithic or Neolithic stone implement, possibly an axe, adze or mace (c. 7000 BC-c. 2350 BC). This object may have been oval and symmetrical in shape when complete. In plan, the fiished end is evenly rounded and the sides flare to a break either side of the hourglass perforation. A break has occurred mid-way across the perforation. In cross-section the perforation seems to have had a diameter of about 17.5mm. One face is slightly more convex that the other face and each face have striations. The implement is made of an unidentified igneous rock. It is dark g…
Created on: Thursday 25th April 2019
Last updated: Saturday 27th April 2019
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Isle of Wight', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF-B84023
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A pebble mace head of the Mesolithic to the Neolithic period, dating to 10.000 BC - 2500 BC. It consists of an oval pebble with a slightly pointed oval cross-section, which has been perforated in the centre; the hole has circular edges on both faces and tapers towards the core of the stone with a hourglass-shaped cross-section. The precise use of these object is uncertain but are frequently referred to as mace heads or ceremonial sceptre. They do seem to relate to the less esoteric and more clearly defined polished mace and axeheads dating to the Mesolithic or Neolithic from whic…
Created on: Friday 15th March 2019
Last updated: Monday 7th October 2019
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Ufford', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SWYOR-5D9AFA
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: UNKNOWN
County: North Yorkshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A stone which has had a partial hole drilled in it, from both faces, of uncertain age, from Mesolithic to Modern. The unfinished perforated stone could have been intended to be a weight. The stone appears to be very finely grained and is roughly rectangular, with one long edge that bulges at one end. Both the upper and lower faces are flat - probably a natually fractured cobble which has then been water worn. The hole through the stone is incomplete. It has been drilled from both sides, one side being drilled deeper than the other. The sides of the hole appears to be straight, with a …
Created on: Monday 23rd July 2018
Last updated: Tuesday 4th September 2018
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: DENO-074188
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Nottinghamshire
Workflow stage: Published
A perforated stone implement of Mesolithic to Neolithic date (c 8000 - 2000 BC), possibly a mace head or axe-hammer. It is of a mid-brown, fine grained stone. It is possible the object was fashioned from a water worn pebble or cobble, but it has been extensively worked by pecking and grinding; The object has a trapezoidal plan with one end worked into a blunt axe-like blade, 59.4 mm wide now extensively chipped, the other end is narrower, 44.9 mm, damaged but apparently squarer and blunter. In profile the object is an asymetrical oval, with one surface noticably flatter than the other…
Created on: Thursday 19th July 2018
Last updated: Thursday 11th October 2018
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-5FF1FC
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Approximately half of a "cushion" type stone mace head, broken transversely in antiquity though the hourglass perforation, this was worked from both faces with a pecking stone and a pointed borer until they met in the middle, creating the distinctive profile of the shaft hole, from the ventral face this is circa. 39 mm diameter, constricting to 24.5 mm at the middle and then expanding to 32 mm on the dorsal face. The stone appears to be Dolerite, of fine grained grey/green composition, with the original surfaces (including the breaks) now patinated with iron oxides. This type of st…
Created on: Wednesday 11th July 2018
Last updated: Friday 16th April 2021
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: HAMP-399D25
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Hampshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete perforated quartzite pebble hammer/'mace head' of Mesolithic to Neolithic date c. 9000-2355 BC. The surviving pebble is roughly a third of the original object creating a stunted C shape, the object being D-shaped in cross-section. The central perforation is convex, so when complete, this would have been an hour-glass shape. One of the breaks is smooth the other is irregular and rough to touch. The patina of the pebble is brown on the sides, grey on the curved outer surface and a lighter grey on the breaks. The quartz grains are particularly easy to observe in the latter …
Created on: Wednesday 27th June 2018
Last updated: Thursday 5th July 2018
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'St. Mary Bourne', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: YORYM-6BBCE3
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: East Riding of Yorkshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Unfinished pebble mace head dating to the Mesolithic or Neolithic (c. 9000 - 2200 BC). The mace head is a rounded oval in form with a smooth surface. It is fashioned from a red stone, possibly quartzite. Circular depressions on either side of the object attest that attempt has been made to perforate it through the centre, but has been abandoned. The object is 63.11mm in length, 52.20mm in width and 23.72mm in thickness. It weighs 118g. There are many completed examples on the database, including: KENT-4DF72B, SUR-042148 and NMS-6EA2F4. The precise function of these objects remains …
Created on: Wednesday 28th February 2018
Last updated: Tuesday 27th March 2018
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-55E9DB
Object type: PERFORATED OBJECT
Broad period: MESOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete perforated stone hammer, or 'mace head' of Mesolithic to Neolithic date (9000-2200 BC). The object would originally been sub-ovate in plan, with a circular perforation with a typical hour glass shape. The upper and lower surfaces are convex, tapering towards a central edge. Approximately 50% of the object is missing due to a transverse fracture across the centre of the object. The retained face of the mace is worn and abraded and looks to have been caused by use rather than by post-depositional wear. The stone is a dark red-brown colour and is probably quartzite…
Created on: Wednesday 22nd November 2017
Last updated: Tuesday 27th June 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Near Kettering', grid reference and parish protected.