Summary

Small worked hematite fragment with one face polished and bearing criss-crossing scratches, from the short cist cemetery at West Water Reservoir, West Linton, Peeblesshire, Early Bronze Age

Accession Number

X.1995.93.5

Other references

Original description

Finds from excavations at West Water Reservoir, West Linton, Peeblesshire. Type of site: Short cist cemetery. Date: Early Bronze Age. Finds from the Early Bronze Age cemetery (area A). [EQ 1031]. Worked haematite, cist 2 (= sf 16). Small worked haematite fragment, detached from the corner of a block; part of the natural outer skin survives on one face. One face is polished and bears criss-crossing scratches with one direction dominant. Edges damaged and rounded from erosion. The regularity of the scratches implies this is a utilised piece, not just a naturally-damaged item. Haematite was used to polish leather and as a pigment, but this is a very small fragment, at the limit of usability. As it is from the destroyed cist 2, it is possible it is an accidental intrusion, although as haematite is not an abundant find this is perhaps stretching coincidence a little. Cist 2, under south end slab. 15.5 x 11 x 4 mm.

Associated person/people (e.g. excavator/former collection)

None

Discovery / field collection

Date of discovery

Not recorded

Method (e.g. excavation)

Excavated

Place (i.e. location of discovery)

West Water Reservoir, West Linton, Peeblesshire, Scotland, Northern Europe

Grid reference

Not recorded

Acquisition

Acquisition date

1995

Acquisition source (i.e. name of donor)

Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer

Acquisition source role (e.g. donor)

Agent

Image

None