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West Kennet Long Barrow

West Kennett cup-markings​…?

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jimit J
jimit Oct 27, 2004 10:14:28
Replying to Pete G

Pete, I'm having a few doubts about the grooves at WKLB being used for sharpening. When you showed us the Polisher I think that we were all surprised at the glass-like smothness of the surface. I remember our discussions as to whether a grinding paste must have been used, for example, try to get an edge on a chisel on a sheet of glass without any.
Comparing the marks at WKLB http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/20276 the surfaces are still rough, how is this possible?

N nigelswift
nigelswift Oct 27, 2004 11:21:30
Replying to jimit

Jim, from my own experimentation, Sarsen+Chalk+a grinding powder gets you an amazing shine on both the sarsen and the chalk, in no time, whereas merely grinding sarsen with a stone, that liberates a much less fine powder, gives much less shine.

So maybe it depends on what they were grinding or polishing, and how? I've not heard an answer to this.

P Pete G
Pete G Oct 27, 2004 11:50:47
Replying to jimit

Jimit mate that's the wrong stone! what you've got there is fossil imprints.
The pollishing stone is in the main corridor after the first chamber on the left.
It is a very smooth long area which was probably just used for pollishing not sharpeneing,

I cannot find a photo on here or megalithis.
It looks like this
http://peteglastonbury.ic24.net/WKPollishing.jpg
PeteG