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Axehead from Cunzierton, Roxburghshire

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Axehead from Cunzierton, Roxburghshire
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This stone axehead, made of alpine jadeite, was found at Cunzierton in Roxburghshire. It was imported from the Piedmont area, around the Swiss-French-Italian border, sometime between 3800 and 3000 BC.

The thin, flat axehead has a curved cutting edge. The butt tapers to a point and the edges form a rounded ridge. The axehead has been highly polished to give a shiny surface. It is unused, and was clearly valued as a status symbol, not for everyday use.

Some axeheads were symbols of power and prestige, probably with religious significance as well. They were often used in gift exchanges and, like this one, could travel over large distances. This axehead may have arrived in Scotland via the Rhineland.

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