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Mersington
Findspot (Period Unassigned), Polished Axehead (Stone)(Period Unassigned)
Site Name Mersington
Classification Findspot (Period Unassigned), Polished Axehead (Stone)(Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 58531
Site Number NT74SE 2
NGR NT 77 44
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/58531
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Eccles
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Berwickshire
- Former County Berwickshire
In 1883, a Neolithic stone axe was found at Mersington when it was brought to the surface during ploughing. Measuring approximately 180mm x 80mm, it was made of polished sandstone. The fabric indicates that this artefact was not made for practical use; sandstone is very soft and would soon wear.
It is thought that polished stone axes were made for ritual purposes; they could have been intended as offerings for gods or ancestors, or kept as personal possessions or symbols of status.
Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project
NT74SE 2 77 44.
A polished axe of indurated sandstone, ploughed up in October 1883 in a field at Mersington (NT 7744) was purchased for the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) in 1883 (Accession no: AF 169). It measures 7ins long by 3ins across the cutting face.
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1884 (Purchases); J Hardy 1885.
No further information was obtained during field investigation.
Visited by OS(JD) 29 January 1955.
Sbc Note
Visibility: Not applicable. Site of an unprovenanced find.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
