Tentsmuir

NO42NE 159 c. 48 25

Possibly on map sheet NO42SE.

The large flint core-tool that is held in the NMS under accession number X.ABB 3 is noted as a surface find from Morton. Its circumstances of discovery were not recorded in detail, but it may relate to the excavated occupation-site (NO42NE 9), where much of the flintwork is of similar colour, condition and cortex-type. It is not indubitably of Mesolithic date, although this appears probable.

This artifact measures 182mm in length, by up to 60mm in breadth and 34mm in thickness; it weighs 319gm. Careful bilateral and bifacial flaking has produced an elegant biconvex planform. It has been worked from medium to light grey flint, which is not discoloured. The dorsal surface displays a large patch of thin, waterworn and chatter-marked cortex, suggesting that it was worked from a beach cobble; trace-element analysis has suggested an origin in the North Sea rather than in England. The ventral surface displays a large area of cream-coloured, matt, coarser-grained inclusion.

Although cited by Coles as an 'axe' it has a pointed tip rather than a cutting edge; the thin and pointed tip renders its functionality uncertain.

A Saville 2003.