Chronology:

Broad Period: New Stone Age - Neolithic:

Specific Circa: 6800 - 5500 BC – Doggerland:

Dimensions and weight:

Length: 11.7mm:

Width: 88 mm:

Thickness: 31 mm:

Weight: 426.36 grams:

Description:

The hand axe has been formed from a large flint flake which has been worked by the removal of radial flakes around the circumference of the core to produce an oval form: It is thought that the outer cortex, the domed dorsal face form was retained and largely unworked due to the shape which has allowed the maker to only need to work the inner face:

The vertical face is counter domed and its proximal end details a wide and curved transverse flake which forms 45% of the right hand lateral face: The removal of a series of narrow, shallow flakes have produced a curved, thin edge which would fit comfortably in the hand when the axe was in use: Slightly wider shallow flakes been removed around the margins at the distal end to produce a tool with a cutting edge which extends around approximately two-thirds of the axes circumference: The entire surface of the flint is coated with a thick, silky patina which has become mottled’ orange-brown colour by the slow absorption of iron salts over time:

Provenance: Original Finder

I recovered the axehead within an arable context following the a potato harvest in the autumn of 2023 upon the Fen edge in Northern Cambridgeshire: This area of land would once have been a salt- marsh with possible tidal flooding from time to time at the time when this hand axe was in use: 

Reference material and further reading: 

Where possible ancient artifacts may be referenced to similar material observed in the following publications within my collection:

• British Artefacts Vol.1, 2 and 3: Brett Hammond [Greenlight Publishing 2010]:

• Celtic & Roman Artefacts: Nigel Mills [Greenlight Publishing 2007]:

• SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome: Mary Beard [Profile Books 2015]:

• 50 Bronze Age Artefacts: Portable Antiquities Scheme: Dot Boughton [Amberley Publishing 2021]:

• Pottery in Britain 4000BC to AD 1900: Lloyd Laing [Greenlight Publishing 2003]:

• British Iron Age Coins In The British Museum: Richard Hobbs [British Museum 1996]:

• Swords of The Viking Age: Ian Peirce: [The Boydell Press 2003]:

• Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society Volume 85: [Cambridge University Press

  2019]

• Mesolithic Europe: Geoff Bailey / Penny Spikins [Cambridge University Press 2008]

• Viking Art: James Graham-Campbell: [Thames & Hudson, London 2018]

• Roman Coins Vol. 1, 2 & 3: David R Sear: [Spink London 2000]:

• The Roman Cavalry: Karen R. Dixon: [B. . Batsford 1997]:

• Rome’s Saxon Shore: Coastal Defenses of Roman Britain AD 250 – 500: Nic Fields [Osprey Publishing 2006]:

• Amulets of Ancient Egypt: Carol Andrews: [University of Texas Press / British Museum Press 1994]:

• The Uniforms of the Roman World: Military dress, weapons, artillery, ships, siege engines and fortifications: Kevin F. Killey: [Anness Publishing 2017]:

Where possible finger rings may be referenced to similar material observed in the following publications within my collection:

• Victorian and Albert Museum CATALOGUE OF FINGER RINGS 1930: C.C.Oman [Anglia Publishing. 1991 – Now out of print]:

• Finger Rings: Diana Scarisbrick / Martin Henig: [Ashmolean Museum Oxford. 2003]:

• Ancient Rings An Illustrated Collectors Guide: T. N. Polio: [McFarland & Co Inc. 2018:

• 1000 Rings: Inspiring Adornments of the Hand: Le Van, Marthe; Ebendorf, Robert [W: Lark Books 2004]:

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