18 
TWO NEOLITHIC AXE-HEADS FROM HOLDERNESS. 
T. SHEPPARD, F.G.S., F.S.A. (Scor.). 
(PLATE II.). 
THE specimen figured in Plate II., figs. 1 and 2, has recently 
been found on the cliffs near Garton, on the Holderness coast, 
by Mr. A.S. Harvey. It is a Neolithic axe-head, and is remark- 
able for the excellency of its workmanship, and the delicate 
way in which it has been finished. The specimen is of green 
volcanic ash, such as occurs in Borrowdale, which was the 
favourite material for making these early axes. Quite a large 
percentage of the East Yorkshire specimens are made from 
it. The Garton axe, however, is of much finer workmanship 
than is exhibited on any celt of this type hitherto found in 
this district. It is exceedingly symmetrical, and the cutting 
edge is unusually sharp, and well made. The specimen is 63 
inches in length, 24 inches in its greatest width, and 1 inch in 
thickness. The cutting edge is about 2} inches across, the 
opposite end being slightly blunted. 
The specimen shewn in Plate II., figs. 3 and 4, is a fine 
polished flint axe head. It was found on the shore at Withern- 
sea so long as 1864, and has the appearance of having been 
buried in peat, a bed of which material occurs near the remains 
of the pier at that place. 
Flint, being an exceedingly hard and tough material, is 
difficult to work, and consequently polished flint axes are 
not frequently met with. The Withernsea example is made 
from the dark foreign flint which occurs in the drift beds. There 
are a number of flakes which have been struck off since the 
axe was made. Judging from the patination, some of these 
were made before the axe was lost, whilst some of the smaller 
flakes are evidently comparatively recent. The specimen is 
4 inches long, 2} inches wide, and 1 inch in thickness. The 
two sides have been rubbed down leaving a square edge. 
Both specimens are now in the museum at Hull. 
In the ‘ Yorkshire Archeological Journal’ (Part 80), Mr. J. R. Mor- 
timer has a short article on the ‘ Opening of a Barrow near ‘‘ Barrow Nook,” 
Driffield.’ 
In ‘The Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London 
(Vol. XXIII., No. 1), some curiously striated neolithic flint flakes are 
figured and described. It is suggested that the striations are due to ice 
action, and the various interglacial periods of James Geikie, as propounded 
in the primitive days of glacial geology, are quoted. We are glad to see 
that Mr. Clement Reid referred to the absurdity of assuming that the 
scratches on the surfaces of the neolithic flakes could be in any way con- 
nected with the Ice Age. ee 
Naturalist, 
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