Accession No

1918.90


Description

Greenstone axe. Round cutting edge; rounded side with a lenticular cross-section; rounded butt. Polished surfaces.


Place

Americas; Caribbean; Barbados; Bath Estate


Period

Pre-Columbian/Pre-Hispanic


Source

Griffith, William (Rev.) [collector]; McCollins, Alexander [collector]; Griffith, Arthur Foster [donor]


Department

Arch


Reference Numbers

1918.90


Cultural Affliation


Material

Stone; Greenstone


Local Term


Measurements

67mm


Events

Context (Analysis)
Imported as stone is not local
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)


Context (Field collection)
Found on the sea shore in c. 1870.

Event Date 1870
Author: maa


Context (Other owners)
According to Griffith (1879) this axe 'of jade, was picked up about three years ago [c. 1870] by Alexander McCollins on the beach at Bath Estate. Its hardness is shown by its perfect surface and edge, and by the fact that he was accustomed to use it to scratch glass, which it did sufficiently well to enable him to cut glass to measure' (p. 297)
Event Date 1870
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)


Context (Display)
Likely part of the 'large collection of the implements' exhibited by Rev. Griffith's paper during the 24 November 1873 meeting of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society. (see PCAS vol 3(4)).
Event Date 24/11/1873
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)


Context (References)
Griffith, W. (1879). ‘Notes on Charib Implements in Barbados and the Neighbouring (West Indian) Islands’. Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, vol. 3(4). pp. 295-302
Event Date 1879
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)


Description (Physical description)
Polished axe
Event Date 1918
Author: maa


Context (Acquisition Details)
Rev. William Griffith's Caribbean collection was collected between 2 October 1872 and 2 July 1873, whilst he was acting tutor at Codrington College, Barbados. It was donated to the museum in 1918 by his brother, Arthur Foster Griffith, likely following the death of Rev. Griffith that same year.
Event Date 1918
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)


Context (Display)
Exhibited: Maudslay Gallery West Indies Case until 1986.
Event Date 1986
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)


Description (Physical description)
Greenstone axe. Round cutting edge; rounded side with a lenticular cross-section; rounded butt. Polished surfaces.
Event Date 3/6/2024
Author: Esther Laver


FM:136565

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