MHG55088 - Findspot of axehead at Washingwells Farm near Auldearn
Summary
Findspot of a small stone axehead which originates from Great Langdale in the Lake District and most likely dates from the Early Neolithic.
Type and Period (1)
- FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
"Small stone axehead, L 112.4 mm, max W (at blade) 44.8 mm, max Th 24.6 mm, with narrow, thin butt, gently convex side facets and rounded blade (which is very slightly asymmetrical in plan); truncated ovate in section; and with ancient chipping at blade and butt (plus an incompletely polished flake scar on one side). Numerous shallow grinding striations are visible on the surface, and there are also grinding facets on the ‘front’ and ‘back’. The blade chipping could conceivably be from use, although in general the axehead has a ‘fresh’ appearance. It is of a greenish-grey, fine-grained tuff, with some darker banding; this, together with its distinctive faceted shape, identifies the axehead as coming from Great Langdale in the Lake District (i.e. Petrological Group VI). It is likely to date to the Early Neolithic. Another stone axehead, of calc-silicate hornfels from Creag na Caillich, Killin, had been found nearby at Auldearn (NH95NW 18) (JAS). Found while ploughing."
Gregor MacKinnon and Alison Sheridan 2010. 'Washingwells Farm, Auldearn, Nairn'. Discovery and Excavation Scotland 11, pp.86-7. <1>
This axehead was submitted to Treasure Trove (TT 106/10) and allocated to Nairn Museum. <2>
The axehead is on display at Nairn Museum (2019). <3>
Sources/Archives (3)
- <1> SHG25449 Collection/Project Archive: Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH). 08/2011. Digital site gazetteer and archive for ARCH Community Timeline Project: Auldearn. Yes. Site 1.
- <2> SHG28208 Dataset/Database File: Treasure Trove. 2019. Highland Finds from Treasure Trove Annual Reports 2004-18. Treasure Trove. Digital. TT 106/10.
- <3> SHG28503 Text/Record Form/Project Recording Form: Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH). 2019. Finds Collection at Nairn Museum.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NH 9315 5684 (100m by 100m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NH95NW |
| Civil Parish | AULDEARN |
| Geographical Area | NAIRN |
Finds (1)
- AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (0)
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