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ToolsReid, Malcolm, Roy, Amber and Ixer, Rob (2024) From the Heat of the Fire: A Biography of an Early Bronze Age Battle-Axe from Church Lawton, Cheshire. Antiquaries Journal, 104. pp. 19-39. ISSN 0003-5815
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
A battle-axe made of picrite from the Cwm Mawr rock source, near Hyssington, Powys, UK, was discovered during the archaeological excavation of two Early Bronze Age barrows at Church Lawton, near Alsager in Cheshire, UK, in 1982-3. It had been subjected to intense heat and then placed in a pit, next to the cremated remains of an adult, possibly a female. The heating has radically altered the appearance of the axe. Originally very smooth and dark grey-green, it now has a more granular and dusty feel, together with a mottled orange-reddish appearance. The Church Lawton battle-axe is particularly notable as it is among a small number of such artefacts in Britain to have been recovered from a barrow excavation conducted according to modern standards, as well as being directly associated with an interment dated by radiocarbon: 1893-1740 cal bc (3490 ± 29 bp). It is also the first implement from the Cwm Mawr rock source to be dated in this way. An initial examination of the battle-axe was conducted in the 1980s. A more exacting analysis of the object has now been undertaken, focusing on its petrology in relation to the rock source, its manufacture and use, and its heating. The new examination included the use of stereoscopic and metallographic microscopes. This paper details the new work and provides an enhanced understanding of the implement's history and significance, emphasising the likely connections between the Early Bronze Age community at Church Lawton and others in the wider region.
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| Additional Information: | The project to re-examine the Church Lawton battle-axe was initiated by Malcolm Reid. He wishes to thank the two co-authors of this paper for their significant contributions, for all the discussions we have had and for their thought-provoking comments. The three of us are extremely grateful to: Elizabeth Montgomery, senior curator at West Cheshire Museums, for allowing the temporary custody of the battle-axe so that it could be re-examined; Eline Van Asperen, technician at the Wolfson Archaeology Laboratory, Newcastle University, for facilitating the microscopic examination of the implement; Mik Markham from the Implement Petrology Group for providing the photomicrograph of the thin section of the battle-axe; Gemma Esvelt, assistant manager of the Powysland Museum, Welshpool, for permission to photograph perforated stone implements in the museum’s collection; Steve Burrow at the National Museum of Wales for providing a sample of picrite from Cwm Mawr; Stephen Reid for assisting with image presentation; and Gill Dunn for proofreading drafts of this paper. Additionally, Malcolm Reid would like to acknowledge Sam Walsh. Her analysis of the human remains and the artefacts from the Church Lawton barrows, reported on previously, was crucial to the writing of this account. The authors are most grateful to Stuart Needham and the two reviewers for their comments leading to the completion of this paper. |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | artefact studies,bronze age,burials,petrology,stone tools,archaeology,visual arts and performing arts,history,archaeology,geochemistry and petrology ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1200/1204 |
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| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Feb 2026 16:30 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Mar 2026 07:30 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/102063 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/S0003581524000131 |
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