Find Spot record MHG55088 - Findspot of axehead at Washingwells Farm near Auldearn

"Small stone axehead, L 112.4 mm, max W (at blade) 44.8 mm, max Th 24.6 mm, with narrow, thin butt, gently convex side facets and rounded blade (which is very slightly asymmetrical in plan); truncated ovate in section; and with ancient chipping at blade and butt (plus an incompletely polished flake scar on one side). Numerous shallow grinding striations are visible on the surface, and there are also grinding facets on the ‘front’ and ‘back’. The blade chipping could conceivably be from use, although in general the axehead has a ‘fresh’ appearance. It is of a greenish-grey, fine-grained tuff, with some darker banding; this, together with its distinctive faceted shape, identifies the axehead as coming from Great Langdale in the Lake District (i.e. Petrological Group VI). It is likely to date to the Early Neolithic. Another stone axehead, of calc-silicate hornfels from Creag na Caillich, Killin, had been found nearby at Auldearn (NH95NW 18) (JAS). Found while ploughing."

Gregor MacKinnon and Alison Sheridan 2010. 'Washingwells Farm, Auldearn, Nairn'. Discovery and Excavation Scotland 11, pp.86-7. <1>