end scraper – rasqueta III

perfil arriba - profile (top)

perfil debajo - underside profile

punto - point

proximal end - terminacion proximal

Find coordinates (within a 5-meter radius): 38.414913, -6.441550

Form correlation: finds.org.uk end scraper (flint)

Description: This is a flaked piece of quartz/granite. The dorsal-ridge side appears to have four surfaces while the ventral (underside) has clearly been flaked to form three surfaces. Its proximal end is sub-diamond in shape.

Speculation: Judging from the image at the above link address and others I’ve seen, my guess is that this was either hafted vertically to form an end-scraper (for hides) or perpendicularly to form an axe or hatchet. As it’s flaked and ground but not polished, I’d suppose it’s not any more recent than the upper Mesolithic.

hilltop ruin – la ruina de la cima

ubicación de ruina de cima - hilltop ruin location

vista de zafra - view of zafra

vista de la montaña - mountain view

mandibula de vaca - cow jaw

 

Site coordinates: 38.422503, -6.441776

Description: At the crest of a little hill northeast of the main ridge stands this peculiar little structure. It is ruined down to a standing enclosure of unmortared stones stacked more than a meter high. Its shape is roughly circular with a slight bulb on the southwest side. In this bulb there is evidence on the walls of past fires, but no evidence on the surface of the ground. The structure is littered with cow bones. In the map above it’s possible to see a quadrangular enclosure immediately to the south; this appears to have been an animal pen or a garden. A quick survey of surface debris didn’t reveal any sherds or evidence that the structure ever had a tiled roof.

hatchet head – cabeza de acha

hatchet head - cabeza de acha

profile - perfil

top profile - perfil arriba

edge profile - perfil filo

standing - de pie

width - anchura

Find coordinates (within a 5-meter radius): 38.415342, -6.442022

Description:This, like most of the Stone Aged items on the mountain, is composed of quartz. It’s cutting edge has been ground rather than flaked and it’s “face” is largely covered by a dark cortex. From above, as seen in the third image, it bears an impressive ovoid shape that speaks to its workmanship. It is dulled and/or notched at the usual places on its proximal and distal ends: the four corners between which securing twine could have been stretched to secure it to its haft. In fact, it is possible to see in the first image how these heavy cords crossed over the face of the hatchet. During their decomposition, the stone accrued cortex; this cortex (black) is fainter where the cords formerly were.

Speculation: A couple of points of interest have caught my eye with this item. Perhaps time is the culprit, or animal hooves, but I’ve notices some irregular marks on a couple of the faces. The first is visible in the second image. Near the proximal end and top surface (top-right in the image), there are a pair of wavy lines etched into the stone. Probably nothing as I’ve seen these marks on other stones where an animal has stepped on them and grated them against an underlying surface, causing scratches.

The second point of interest is visible in the fourth image. It occurs on the lower flat where twine would have passed (in the image, it’s on the same latitude as my thumb-nail). Probably it’s natural, but it looks to me like a crudely encircled cross symbol. Its lines are too straight for my little mind to ignore.