MHG7042 - BA Flanged and Socketed Axes, Auld Hoose, Wester Golcantray
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
One complete LBA looped and socketed bronze axe and part of another were found,together with a decorated flanged axe, in the Tailor's Garden at Wester Galcantray in 1887.
They were presented to NMAS, 1939-40, by A Keiller, having been formerly in possession of Miss May Davidson of Clava and Cantray (DE 114, 115 and DC 128).
Coles (1962) does not consider evidence sufficient to call this a LBA hoard.
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1940; J M Coles 1962; I C Walker 1964.
The tailor's house at Wester Galcantray is at NH 8042 4753, and is now known as the 'Auld Hoose'. According to Mrs MacLennan (Roy Cottage, Croy, Inverness-shire), who lived there, these objects were found in front garden, centred at NH 8041 4754, but she does not know exact find-spot, finder, or circumstances of find. Visited by OS (N K B) 13 August 1964.
(409. Long-flanged axe of Arreton type). Single find (?). Flanged axe, slightly corroded, green-black, butt and cutting edge notched, median bevel. Length 112mm, butt 19mm, cutting edge 67mm, weight 285 gms. NMAS DC 128. (Walker describes this axe as having been found together with socketed axes nos. 1092 and 1711).
(1092. Socketed axe of Alford variant of Portree type). Hoard (?). Socketed axe, smooth green surface, trimmed, hammered blade (?), haft ribs inside, sharpened in modern times. Length 74mm, mouth 26 x 32mm, cutting edge 48mm, weight 215 gms. NMAS DE 114.
Possibly associated finds: a 'palstave' (probably no. 409), and an unclassified socketed axe of rectangular section (no1711). Coles does not accept these finds as associated but Walker argues for axes having been found together in 'the Taylor's Garden' While the two socketed axes may belong together because of their similar patination, the early flanged axe is most likely not part of this association, its patination being different.
(1711. Unclassified socketed axe). Hoard (?). Socketed axe fragment, green and brittle surface. Length 71mm, weight 114 gms. NMAS DE 115.
P K Schmidt and C B Burgess 1981.
The two socketed axeheads were catalogued as part of the North Kessock & District Local History Society and Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH) collaborative 'Feats of Clay' Project, which was focused on Bronze Age metalworking around the Moray Firth. They was assigned Late Bronze Age dates. The research also discovered that the flanged axe appears to have been erroneously assumed to belong to this group due to a misreading by Walker (1964) of the accession number. The NMS catalogue states 'provenance unknown', and therefore it was excluded from the Feat Of Clay catalogue, as the findspot could not be verified as within the Moray Firth.<1>
Sources/Archives (8)
- --- SHG1474 Text/Publication/Article: Coles, J M. 1971. 'Scottish Early Bronze Age metalwork', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 101 1968-9, p.1-110. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 1-110. 84.
- --- SHG1476 Text/Publication/Article: Coles, J M. 1962. ''Scottish Late Bronze Age metalwork: typology, distributions and chronology'', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 93 1959-60, p.16-134. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 16-134. 71, 134.
- --- SHG1640 Text/Publication/Article: Walker, I C. 1974. 'The counties of Nairnshire, Moray and Banffshire in the Bronze Age, Part II', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 104 1971-2, p.71-120. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 71-120. 100, 117-18, no. 1.
- --- SHG174 Text/Publication/Article: Walker, I C. 1964. 'An unpublished beaker from Nairnshire', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 95 1961-2, p.305-6. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 305-6. 306-7; pl. 58, fig. 2.
- --- SHG28278 Dataset/Database File: National Museums Scotland. 2019. Highland Finds from the NMS Catalogue. National Museums Scotland. Digital. DE 114- DE 115.
- --- SHG3000 Text/Publication/Article: Schmidt and Burgess, P K and C B. 1981. 'The axes of Scotland and Northern England', Prahistorische Bronzefunde Vol. 9. Prahistorische Bronzefunde. 72, no. 409, 189, no. 1092 and 253, no. 1711.
- --- SHG576 Text/Publication/Article: PSAS. 1940. 'Donations to and purchases for the Museum and Library', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 74 1939-40, p.147-58. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 147-58. 149 134.
- <1> SHG28012 Text/Publication/Monograph: Clark, G., Cowie, T. & Kruse, S. 2017. Feats of Clay. Cat. No. 113-4, H14, E1.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NH 8040 4753 (4m by 4m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NH84NW |
| Civil Parish | CROY AND DALCROSS |
| Geographical Area | NAIRN |
Finds (2)
- AXEHEAD (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- AXEHEAD (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (1)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/15069 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
Comments and Feedback
Do you have any more information about this record? Please feel free to comment with information and photographs, or ask any questions, using the "Disqus" tool below. Comments are moderated, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible.