I have a question to ask you about the use of granite hammerstones in the
early mining industry in this country -or anywhere else for that matter
What I assume is a granite Hammerstone has tuned up in the back garden of a
householder in Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire. It is a flattened sphere
measuring c. 8cm in diameter by c. 5cm thick.
It has a small amount of pecking and wear around the edges, and also some
smoothing on one face which might be indicative of a secondary use perhaps
as a much later linen rubber (Mitcheldean had a flax and cloth industry in
the medieval and early post-medieval periods). It is completely lacking in
any surface marks indicative of hafting.
It was found about 2km from the iron ore outcrops (Scowles) in the Forest of
Daan which are assumed to have been exploited since at least Roman times and
probably earlier, and I was wondering if anyone could point me at any
published material on the use of granite tools in early mineral extraction,
or had any observations to make on this.
I am currently assuming the granite comes from southwest Britain and has
been deliberately imported to the Mitcheldean area but I am trying to get a
geologist to confirm this (without breaking bits off it)
> Jon Hoyle
> Senior Project Officer
> Gloucestershire County Council
> Environment Department
> Archaeology Service
> Shire Hall
> GLOUCESTER
> GL1 2TH
> Tel: (+44) 01452 426245
> Fax: (+44) 01452 425356
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> Web: http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/archaeology/fod/
>
>
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