Farming arrived in Britain during the Neolithic period, brought by a new group of people from continental Europe. This Neolithic adze from Denmark is evidence of the earliest surviving form of traded goods between Europe and Britain.
An adze is a variation of an axe, with the blade secured to the handle (hafted) at a right angle, rather than parallel to it. Axe heads were hafted to a wooden handle, with the stone tapered at one end and set into a hole in the wood, becoming more wedged in with use. Rectangular sectioned axes from Denmark are divided into thin-butted and thick-butted varieties, depending on how much the axe is tapered at the end opposite the blade.
Large, prized axes have been found buried in graves, or together in caches. In Denmark, 171 caches totalling about 500 axes have been reported. This suggests that axes were not only functional tools but held greater significance in Neolithic society. This adze was found in Wellingborough, buried six inches beneath an orchard near Jackson’s Lane. It was a single find, raising questions as to why it was deposited alone - perhaps this Danish adze was someone's prized possession and buried as part of a ritual practice.
Number 9 of the objects selected for the A History of Northamptonshire in 100 Objects Exhibition 2025
© NMAG
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NMAG
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NMAG
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The Trustees of the British Museum
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NMAG