Culbin Sands

NH96SE 1 c. 999 635.

(NH 999 635) A sandstone mould for casting flat axes of the Early Bronze Age was found on Culbin Sands in this area. The stone is 8 1/2 long, 7" broad and 4 1/2" thick. On one side are moulds for two axes, one 5 5/8" long by 3 3/16" across its cutting edge; the other 4 3/4" long by 2 3/4" across its edge. Both are 3/4" deep. At one end of this face of the stone is a small groove 1 1/2" long, 3/8" wide and 3/16" Deep. On the reverse side is a third axe mould, 5 3/4" long and 15/16" deep, a portion of which has broken away on the cutting edge. On one side of the stone is the mould for a fourth axe 2 5/8" long, 1 1/8" across its cutting edge and 3/8" deep.

A small portion of another sandstone mould with parts of a mould for flat axes on each side was found near the same place. Both moulds were purchased by the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) in 1889.

G F Black 1891; NMAS 1892; D Britton 1963

No further information.

Visited by OS (RL) 15 December 1970.

(Moulds for flat axes, blade and possible awl; not necessarily associated). Culbin Sands, Morayshire.

301. Single find. Mould, red stone, blackened matrices, rough sides.

Face A: flat axe, length 144mm, cutting edge 80mm, max. depth 20mm; flat axe, length 125mm, cutting edge 70mm, max. depth 17mm; awl (?), triangular section, length 38mm, width 6mm, max. depth 3mm. Face B: flat axe, length c. 145mm, width c. 80mm, max. depth 20mm. Side: blade, length 66mm, width 26mm, max. depth 10mm. NMAS CM 18.

302. Single find, found near 301. Mould, grey stone, fragment, with possibly remains of matrices for two flat axes. NMAS CM 19.

P K Schmidt and C B Burgess 1981.