91Èȱ¬

My partner and I found this handaxe during a walk on Scafell Pike in October 2009. We did not really know much about the history of the Lake District and Ice Age, however, after listening to the broadcast and reading the article about the Olduvai Handaxe, we decided to find out more. We discovered that during Neolithic times the Lake District was a major source of stone axes, examples of which have been found all over Britain. The primary site, situated on the slopes of the Langdale Pikes, is sometimes described as a 'stone axe factory'.
The handaxe we found is a piece of shaped, pyramidal grey-green rock. It fits the hand perfectly. At the bottom of the stone, there is a small rock lever, which forces one to hold it sharpest edge up. Although is not as big as the Olduvai Handaxe, it must have been just as good to work with. It also has a pointed end. The second edge if held with the right hand is not as sharp, however, all sides of the stone appear to have been worked on and could have been used effectively on different types of surfaces.
Is this handaxe six hundred thousand or just an attempt at replication fashioned by one of the revellers, who like us, camped in the area?