Find Spot record MDO6112 - Neolithic axe found on Woodcutts Common, Sixpenny Handley

A Neolithic axe of grey flint, broken at one end, was found on Woodcutts Common in 1969. Mesolithic flints and Neolithic scrapers were also found in the area.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1973, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1972, 75 (Serial). SDO72.

‘A NEOLITHIC FLINT AXE FROM WOODCUTTS.

The axe illustrated in Fig. 1 was found by the writer in 1969 very near the Romano-British settlement at Woodcutts excavated by Pitt-Rivers in the last century; the approximate grid reference is ST 962183.

The axe, fresh and unpatinated, is of a dark grey flint with a portion of cortex left on one face. Unfortunately, its cutting edge was broken off in antiquity, and it must have been a little over 160 mm. long. It is of very fine workmanship and this led first to the belief that it could have been a dagger, but closer examination revealed that it was rounding off into a typical axe edge just where it had broken. It must have been used for some light woodwork as it is much too fine for clearing and felling.
Mesolithic flints and Neolithic scrapers were also found, and this field is an obvious extension of the large knapping site on Woodcutts Common noted in these Proceedings, Vol. 91, p.173.’

Record last edited

Oct 3 2021 4:40PM