Stone Axe Studies in Ireland

Abstract

This paper starts by outlining the history of stone axe studies in Ireland, from their antiquarian beginnings to 1990. It then offers a critical review of the current state of knowledge concerning the numbers, distribution, findspot contexts, morphology, size, associated finds, dating and raw materials of stone axes. Having proposed an agenda for future research, the paper ends by introducing the Irish Stone Axe Project—the major programme of database creation and petrological identification, funded by the National Heritage Council, currently being undertaken by GC and EG.

Bewitched by an Elf Dart: Fairy Archaeology, Folk Magic and Traditional Medicine in Ireland

“…Polished stone axes were re-used as linen smoothers by linen weavers in Ulster during the nineteenth century (Sheridan et al . 1992, 390). A polished stone adze was used as a whetstone at Carrownagarry, Co. Galway (Prendergast & Lucas 1962, 145).…”

Mineral chemical provenance of Neolithic pitchstone artefacts from Ballygalley, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

“…Most of this material is porcellanite from Tievebulliagh or Rathlin Island (Sheridan, 1986;Mallory, 1990), together with a small number made of epidotized tuff, from Great Langdale, Cumbria (Sheridan et al, 1992).…”

Using Geochemistry to Interpret Porcellanite Stone Axe Production in Ireland

“…The Irish Stone Axe Project (ISAP) was established to provide a comprehensive database of Irish stone axes integrating both archaeological and petrological data (see Grogan & Cooney, 1990;Mandal et al, 1991Mandal et al, / 1992Sheridan, Cooney & Grogan, 1992). Included in the research strategy is a systematic programme of raw material identification and sourcing.…”

“…The recognition of their presence in Britain in the 1930s resulted in the designation of porcellanite axes as Group IX in the British scheme for the petrological classification of stone axes and their sources (Keiller, Piggott & Wallis, 1941;Clough & Cummins, 1979Francis, Francis & Preston, 1988). Prior to the establishment of ISAP the study of porcellanite axes was the only coherent focus in stone axe studies in Ireland (Sheridan, Cooney & Grogan, 1992). Of the source sites, Tievebulliagh has been the subject of much more detailed archaeological research (e.g.…”

“…This raises the question of the relative importance of the two known porcellanite production sites and the need to test the assumption that Tievebulliagh was the more important of the two. Essential to addressing this problem is distinguishing the products from the two sources (Sheridan, Cooney & Grogan, 1992). The ISAP approach to this question is based on a programme of petrographical and geochemical analysis integrated with morphological, distributional and contextual studies of porcellanite axes, and survey and sampling at the source sites.…”