One of the Neolithic arrow-heads found in Norway. The three close-ups -- front, back and side -- have the tips chopped off.
Those Neolithic Norwegian arrows found beneath a melting snow-patch up in the mountains:
http://www.livescience.com/40071-neolithic-bow-and-arrow-revealed-in-melting-snow.html
I don't know anything about Neolithic arrow heads, but these seem to be very crude, and much larger than the delicate arrow-heads assumed to have been made in the UK -- normally from flint. But in an area in which there was no flint, might not the arrow heads have been made from whatever handy rock happened to be lying around the place -- rhyolite, slate, shale, or indeed any other fine-grained or glassy rock capable of giving a sharp edge?
Craig Rhosyfelin, maybe? Would it be too outrageous a suggestion to say that the so-called "quarry" might have been used for the manufacture of knives, cutting edges and arrow heads? Does the stratigraphy in the dig give us any clue on this? Is there a debitage which might be explained as the debris from tool working? No doubt all will be revealed when MPP deems the time to be right...
Anyone know what occurred in the slate areas of North and Mid Wales as regards cutting implements and arrow heads, during prehistoric times?
ReplyDeleteReminded me how shabby the flint tools are in the Avebury museum. Maybe there are better tools in Devizes or Salisbury or London, but almost any village museum in the low countries has better than Avebury.
ReplyDeleteHow is it possible that the people who made the tools on display in Avebury built either Avebury or Stonehenge???
because they are all in the hands of the locals! I have seen some stunning examples in the Avebury social club. I found my first one took it in to show them and someone yelled "Pete's found his first arro'ed" and every got their wallets out and showed me theirs. ripple flaked, barbed and tanged etc. the Best was a deep black polished flint Barbed and tanged that was beautiful to hold!
ReplyDeleteThe Polished Axe's I've seen are better than any I've seen in local museums.
PeteG
90% of all historic artifacts are in private collections and hidden from scientific scrutiny; just like art works.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder archaeologists are 'still sifting about in the dirt' to find clues of our past that have already been found.
Pitt Rivers
Note to contributors -- I am accepting this post, but PLEASE no more anonymous posts. Please post under your own name -- if you have anything worthwhile to say, you might as well let us know who's saying it. Too many bad experiences in the past on this blog....... thanks!
ReplyDeleteThere is quite a collection of prehistoric artefacts in the store beyond the Avebury museums. These may be viewed provided punters are prepared to book one of the public viewings with one of the archaeologists. Booking times are advertised via the National Trust's Avebury leaflets each year. For example, I have seen a jadeite axe, origin Italian Alps, but discovered locally.
ReplyDeleteEqually, there are wonderful displays at Devizes' Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Long Street. They may also be viewed on-line e.g. the golden lozenge-shaped Bronze Age object from Bush Barrow, close to Stonehenge, but south side of the dreaded bifurcating A303.