Buckley Society Magazine Issue Four: Archaeology Note by Ken LLoyd Gruffydd"

Llys Wylfa, Mynydd Isa

April 1976

Buckley Society Magazine Issue Four, April 1976

p. 43 - 44

see 28.302 for contents etc.

ARCHAEOLOGY NOTE

K. LLOYD GRUFFYDD

This stone axe-hammer was discovered in 1971 by Mr B. McKenna Roberts of 48 Llys Wylfa, Mynydd Isa, in his back garden. (NGR SJ 253639).

Mr C. H. Houlder, M.A.,F.S.A., of the Royal Commission on Ancient & Historical Monuments, (Wales) notes that 'the rock type is at present not capable of grouping with other specimens, nor can its precise source be suggested. The implement is fairly typical of the supposedly Bronze Age general purpose tool which shows at least some connection with the finer specimens of battle-axe found in burials of that period.'

The stone itself is an altered dolerite, medium-grained and light grey in colour, weathering brown. A microscopic petrology study carried out by Dr W. J. Phillips of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, for the Council for British Archaeology shows that it:

consists of intergrown, thin tabular crystals of plagioclase generally about 0.6mm long and 0.2mm wide. These show considerable alteration and contain small crystals of sericite and irregular crystals of calcite.

Calcite also occurs as irregular masses between the plagioclase crystals, and groups of calcite also occur in masses up to 0.8mm across, which appear to have pseudomorphed augite crystals.

Abundant opaque crystals up to 0.3mm across occur, giving black and shiny metallic colour in reflected light, indicating that they are magnetite. In places these are partly altered to red haemetite or brown limonite.

Very pale green or pale brown chlorite with anomalous blue polarisation colours forms prominent masses filling spaces between plagiclase laths.'

Our present knowledge does not permit us to give an exact dating to this particular axe hammer. It can, however, be roughly placed within the span of Bronze Age, i.e. between 1900 BC and 500 BC.

It is retained by its discoverer and bears the Council for British Archaeology reference number F33.

Author: Gruffydd, Ken Lloyd

Buckley Society Magazine Issue Four: Archaeology Note by Ken LLoyd Gruffydd"

Llys Wylfa, Mynydd Isa

Tags