Three stone axes from Newmarket, Isle of Lewis

III May 1976 Mr and Mrs A Morrison of 100 Newmarket, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis found three stone axes and a flint scraper when cutting peat near Newmarket at c NGR NB 426367 (Ponting 1977). Mrs Morrison reports that the axes were found at the base of the peat and close together as shown in the diagram (fig 1,5) with the flint below the axes. The position suggests they were buried in a container, perhaps a bag. The find was drawn to my attention by Mr and Mrs G Ponting of Callanish, and through their initiative Mrs Morrison has kindly made the find available for recording. The illustrations are by Miss Helen Jackson. Dr H Macpherson of the Royal Scottish Museum has kindly identified the axes. They are made from foliated quartzitic gneisses, psammitic rocks which are found widely in Northern Scotland and occur on Lewis. The feldspar minerals in the axes have weathered during their long sojourn in the peat to give white chalky coatings. One axe (fig 1, 2) still retains a slight vestige of polish near the cutting edge. It has a square butt and is 110 mm long. The second axe (fig 1, 3) is more oval in shape, slightly concave in section, and also 110 mm long. The third implement (fig 1,l) is adze shaped, with an assymetrical bevel on one side, and a pointed butt. It is concave in section, and 116 mm long. The flint scraper is by contrast quite unpatinated. It is made on a FIG I Stone axes and flint scraper from Newmarket, Lewis (Scale 1 : 2 except no 5)

Geology · Historical Studies of British Isles · Railway Systems and Materials Science · Scottish History and National Identity

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