Site type AXEHEAD(S) (PORCELLANITE), AXEHEAD, BARBED AND TANGED ARROWHEAD (FLINT), BATTLEAXE, BLADE (FLINT), STONE BALL(S) (STONE)
Canmore ID 17667
Site Number NJ52NW 29
NGR NJ 54 29
Council ABERDEENSHIRE
Parish KENNETHMONT
Former Region GRAMPIAN
Former District GORDON
Former County ABERDEENSHIRE

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Archaeological Notes

NJ52NW 29 c. 54 29.

A battle-axe, type IV DN, probably from Leith Hall estate (NJ 54 29) is in private possession.
F E S Roe 1966.

Other stone implements from the estate are held in a display case in the library at Leith Hall.
NMRS, MS/712/52.

(Classification amended to: Battle-Axe; Flint Arrowhead: Barbed-and-Tanged; Flint Blade; Stone Axes; Stone Balls). At Leith Hall a small collection of artefacts is housed in a small 19th-century table-top display case, though they are not currently on public exhibition. The collection includes an unprovenanced battle-axe belonging to Roe's Stage IV Scotsburn Group (1966, 241). The butt is damaged, but it measures 145mm in length by 88mm in breadth and 53mm in thickness. The moulded decoration takes the form of two broad grooves, which border the waisting around the central perforation. Other unprovenanced artefacts in the collection are as follows:
A mottled brown flint blade, measuring 53mm in length by 19mm in breadth and 4mm in thickness. The bulb of percussion, a distinct distal ridge and a fragment of the striking platform are all present, and there is some possible edge retouch.
A stone axe, which is labelled 'made from local micaceous schist' measures 157mm in length by 63mm in breadth and 22mm in thickness; it has a flat, narrow butt.
A stone axe, which is labelled 'of local stone', measures 250m in length by 78mm in breadth and 48mm in thickness; the pointed butt is slightly damaged.
A stone axe, which is labelled 'almost certainly made in the axe-factory at Tievebulliagh, N. Ireland', measures 83mm in length by 46mm in breadth and 15mm in thickness.
A stone axe, which is labelled 'probably from axe-factory at Langdale', measures 106mm in length by 60mm in breadth and 30mm in thickness.
A stone ball measuring 72mm in diameter.
A stone ball measuring up to 80mm in diameter, but with two flattened sides forming opposed circular facets about 50mm in diameter.
In addition there are four roughly provenanced flint arrowheads. One is a barbed-and-tanged arrowhead of of speckled brown flint, which is labelled as being found 'near Leith Hall'; it measures 44mm in length by 29mm in breadth and 5mm in thickness. The other three are labelled 'West Bogside, Rhynie', (see NJ52NW 214).
Visited by RCAHMS (JRS) 11 December 2002.
F E S Roe 1966.

Roe, F E S (1966) 'The battle-axe series in Britain', Proc Prehist Soc, New, vol.32
Page(s): 241, no. 352 Held at RCAHMS E.8.ROE.P