Axe

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This stone axehead, with its original wooden haft, was found at Shulishader on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. It provides important evidence on the mounting of axeheads. The axe was used sometime between 3495 and 2910 BC.

The haft is virtually complete, and has fine decorative toolmarks. It has an oval opening for the axehead. The axehead appears to be of porcellanite from County Antrim in Ireland. It may have been used and reground.

This is the only virtually complete prehistoric axe in Scotland. It was found in peat, and may possibly have been a votive deposit. If the axehead is from Ireland, this adds to other evidence for contacts at this time between the Hebrides and Ireland.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-082-991-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.AF 1097.2
• Date: Between 3495 and 2910 BC
  
• Material: Stone, possibly porcellanite; thin tapering butt; convex sides; one edge bevelled; gently rounded asymmetrical cutting edge
  Wood; notched butt with oval opening
  Axe haft
  
• Dimensions: 487 mm L; shaft 30 mm D; butt 103 mm B
  Butt 124 mm L x 27 mm B; cutting edge 68 mm B
  
• What: Axe haft
  
• Subject:
• Who: Mr and Mrs MacMillan (Collector)
  Mr and Mrs MacMillan (Collector)
  
• Where: Scotland, Ross and Cromarty, Lewis, Stornoway, Shulish (On the moor to the east of the A866)
  Scotland, Ross and Cromarty, Lewis, Stornoway, Shulish (On the moor to the east of the A866)
  
• Event:
• Description: Stone axe head, possibly porcellanite, with a thin tapering butt and convex sides, from Shulishader, Stornoway, Lewis
  Wooden axe haft with a notched butt which has an oval opening for an axe head, from Shulishader, Stornoway, Lewis
  
• References:
  • Sheridan, J.A. Scottish stone axeheads: some new work and recent discoveries. In: Sharples, N.M. and Sheridan, J.A. (eds.) Vessels for the ancestors. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1992, pp 194-212. 
  • Treasure Trove file 320; Sheridan, A 1985, 24-5 
  • Treasure Trove file 320; Sheridan, A 1985, 24-5 
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