| Number | AMHAM: OBJECT.200 |
|---|---|
| Date | Neolithic period (c4,000 to 2,400 BC) |
| About this object | A granite axe head of Neolithic origin, found in a garden in Amersham-on-the-Hill and likely to have originated in Cornwall. The Neolithic period was the last phase of the Stone Age. In Britain this is the period when farming was introduced, that is growing crops and farming domesticated animals. This meant moving away from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle although this activity did continue. Ground or polished stone weapons, tools and implements were used although some pottery did start to appear at this time. Hand axes like this prehistoric stone tool are thought to have been primarily used for cutting, with the wide base making it easier to grip. This object was identified by the British Museum in 2000. Axe heads of various hard stones were common to the Thames Valley area. They were made in 'factories' from hard stones in upland areas of Britain, for example Cornwall, the Lake District and North Wales and they were used in trading as items for barter. This hand axe was found at the Pheasant Inn Pub (now demolished) on Plantation Road in Amersham. |
| Made In | Cornwall |
| Physical Description | This heavy, dark grey granite axe head is speckled in appearance with tapering to one end. It was shaped to make a working sharper edge (which is now a little rounded) at its opposite wider end. The axe head is 13.5cm in length and 5cm wide (at the centre). |
| Find Out More | https://heritageportal.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/theme/tbc714 |