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Jun 01, 2023

Rare 5,000

Historic England By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time. A team of volunteers exploring the Tenants Hill landscape in South Dorset, England have

Historic England

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A team of volunteers exploring the Tenants Hill landscape in South Dorset, England have uncovered a vanishingly rare “polissoir”, The Guardian reported.

This remarkable Neolithic artifact used as a polishing stone by our ancient ancestors to refine their tools was found hidden among the rugged boulders of the Valley of Stones, a National Nature Reserve in Dorset.

The discovery— only the second polissoir found in its original position, firmly embedded in the earth, in all of England— has left researchers and historians thrilled.

At first glance, the polissoir appeared like any other ordinary stone, blending in with its rocky companions. However, its smooth and glossy surface gave its extraordinary nature away.

Anne Teather and Jim Rylatt, directors of the non-profit organization Past Participate CIC, made the astonishing find while clearing scrub from the area.

“It’s a relatively unprepossessing boulder on one side,” said Jim Rylatt. But then he flicked away some leaves and found the shiny, polished area. “It’s safe to say I was surprised. The only other one found in situ in England was found in the 1960s at Fyfield Down [in Wiltshire].”

Jim Rylatt vividly recalls the moment he flicked away some leaves and uncovered the polished area, stating, "It's safe to say I was surprised." The only other in situ polissoir discovered in England dates back to the 1960s at Fyfield Down in Wiltshire.

Historic England

Polissoirs played a crucial role in Neolithic toolmaking, particularly in the production of polished axes. These axes, affixed to wooden handles, were instrumental in various tasks such as woodworking, tree felling, and constructing houses and monuments.

The polishing process not only improved the functional properties of the axes but also held symbolic significance. They were often deposited in ritualistic contexts, including burials, and frequently moved over long distances from the natural sources of the stone from which they were crafted.

While portable polissoirs have been discovered in the past, finding one on a larger, "earthfast" stone like this is exceptionally rare. Similar examples have been located in the Avebury area, although most of them have been displaced from their original positions over time.

Remarkably, the newly discovered polissoir in the Valley of Stones seems to have remained undisturbed for millennia. This presents a unique opportunity for researchers to accurately date its use, explore the range of tools crafted there, and investigate the materials employed in the process.

The polissoir's location near an ancient routeway suggests that it may have been a gathering place where people would come to polish their axes. Researchers speculate that it served as a work area rather than a living space, with activities like processing animal skins or preparing meals taking place nearby.

Sasha Chapman, inspector of ancient monuments at Historic England, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, "This is a hugely exciting and rare discovery in this little understood historic landscape, which is giving us an opportunity to explore the use of the stone and the communities who were using it."

Excavations and specialized analyses have begun in the surrounding area to uncover any traces left behind by the skilled craftsmen who created these stone axes and unravel the secrets of this ancient tool-making tradition.