axehead
Description
Small pale green stone axehead of Neolithic date.
Found at Larbert in 2011.
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Object detail
Dimensions:0 - Whole:W 45.9cm (W 1' 6 1/16")
Dimensions:0 - Whole:D 20.9cm (D 8 1/4")
Weight:0 - Whole:117.59g (4 1/8oz)
Length: 74.3 mm
Maximum width: 45.9 mm (just above blade)
Maximum thickness: 20.9 mm (at mid-height)
Weight: 117.59 g
Small, fairly squat axehead of a banded, pale green stone, with concentric darker green banding. The butt is gently convex, fairly wide and gently squared off; the sides are squared off and bow slightly, and the blade is shallow and blunt – but whether the blunting relates to secondary use of the axehead is uncertain. In profile the axehead is slightly asymmetrical; in cross-section, slightly more so, with one face more convex than the other. There are three large ancient flake scars on the faces, plus a smaller ancient flake scar at the butt on one side, plus minor ancient chipping to the blade. In terms of the Implement Petrology Group’s Axehead Recording scheme, its features are as follows:
Face shape: FS08 (symmetrically tapered, flat blade and butt)
Blade section: BS04 (asymmetrical: NJ)
Cross section: CS12 (narrow oval, faceted sides)
Profile classification: P05 (asymmetrical: medium)
Cutting edge shape classification: ES02 (gently curved: symmetrical)
Butt shape classification: BU09 (rounded, flat)
Macro- and microscopic examination leads to the conclusion that this axehead is most likely to be of calc-silicate hornfels from Creag na Caillich, neat Killin, Perth & Kinross (and thus to belong to Implement Petrology Group ‘Group XXIV’). For an account of excavations at Creag na Caillich, see Edmonds et al. 1992.
The axehead is most likely to date to between the early 4th millennium to the mid 3rd millennium; there is a smaller chance that it post-dates this.
Edmonds, M., Sheridan, J.A. and Tipping, R. 1992. Survey and excavation at Creag na Caillich, Killin, Perthshire. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 122, 77–112, fiche 1:A5–11. http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_122/122_077_112.pdf
Alison Sheridan, NMS
Updated May 2013
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