Langdale Axe Factory forum 5 room
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FourWinds wrote:
Hi all. I'm after the following ...

  • Info on the distribution of axes from Langdale
  • Are there any factories to the west of Dumfries?
  • The best book for Burl's axe trading theories

Thanks

The answers to most of your questions can be found in these two excellent reports.

Stone axe studies: archaeological, petrological, experimental and ethnographic
CBA Research Report No 23 (1979)

Stone Axe Studies Volume 2: The petrology of prehistoric stone implements from the British Isles
CBA Research Report No 67 (1988)

The good news is that they are both available for download via the ADS website.

Bradleys book is wordy, as are all his books, but well worth a read.

Cunliffe's book is excellent and will be right up your street in many ways, including your interest in Iberia, one of the best archaeology books ever.

The axe trade now seems to be an out of date theory, the emphasis now being on exchange networks, which makes more sense and is supported by ethnographic evidence.

cheers
fitz

Thanks for all that. I've got some of the bits mentioned and will hunt out the other bits.

I can't help asking though .... trade? exchange networks? What's the difference? Sounds like someone trying to 'business-speak' an old idea to me.