Hammer found by standing stones. Is it old?

Larna

Hi all.

Have a monument marked as druid's standing stones on my land.

Cattle have kicked out of the ground very close to one of the stones this little hammer head. It was laying just on top of the soil beside a hoof hole. It would've been only an inch or two below the surface so I can't imagine it is too old, but it's location within a couple of inches from the base of one of the standing stones made me curious.

Archaeolgists have viewed the stones before and they're marked on all maps. No digging has ever been done beneath or around them. No ploughing has been done in my lifetime near them and we don't know anything about them.

Curious if anyone could date this.

Might be modern but just thought it was unusual.

Larna

Anyone at all?...

A Disgrace

Interesting. Could be a recent enough (rusted) hammer head? Although it is quite small... looking forward to seeing the replies on this

Wibbs

If they're standing stones they're neolithic(new stone age). They would have almost nothing to do with druids, except if the much later druid class reused them. So if it's made of iron/steel, it has nothing to do with the stones themselves. More likely a piece of farm equipment that got broken ff and ended up close to the stones. My take anyway. Doubtless expert heads will be around to give a better explanation.

testicle

That just looks like a normal, rusty claw hammer head to me.

Larna

I checked the map again and they're marked as a 'druid's alter'.
Just several very large standing stones leaning up against each other. I don't know anything about them.

It's quite a small hammer head, and possible it is modern but it looks like it's been buried there quite a while to me, and given its location I was curious.

We didn't lose it but possible it did just somehow find its way there.

Riamfada

If the hammer is made of any sort of metal it is highly unlikely to the be related to the ritual use of the megalith itself.(extremely highly unlikely) Could be discarded from farming activity over the past few decades? Looks like it was in the ground less than 100 years anyway & sitting in the topsoil

Larna

Hammer is made of iron, or that's what it seems to be to me at least.

I guess I can throw it away then!

Thanks all

Poor Uncle Tom

Looks like the head of an old walking stick to me....

Larna

Oh! Good point. I didn't think of that. It is quite like an old walking stick head.

Quite possible.

Sligo22

Hi, the name druids alter may suggest that what is on your land may be a neolithic portal tomb as these monuments often became known by this name in more recent centuries. if they just look like upright stones it could mean that the capstone has been removed in the past, it really is hard to say without seeing a photo of the monument itself! If this is the case a metal artefact would be totally unheard of in relation to this type of monument, but if you are in any doubt you can always send the object to the national museum and they will be able to figure out if it is of any age or not!!
glad to hear from a landowner/ farmer actively taking an interest in the archaeology on their land...

Lain2016

Yes get it checked out, dont throw it away.

Many artifacts and even bodies are found and thought to be recent only upon examination to be found to be ancient; a body found in the alps was thought to be that of a hiker but was found to be 4,000 years old. An old book was thought to have magical powers and was dipped in the cattle feed to ensure the cows prospered, it was found to be a precious ancient manuscript we know now as the Book of Kells. :eek:

Maudi

Larna wrote: »

Oh! Good point. I didn't think of that. It is quite like an old walking stick head.

Quite possible.

hi larna any chance of info where your site is?if its around wicklow id like to visit it:D

Larna

Maudi wrote: »

hi larna any chance of info where your site is?if its around wicklow id like to visit it:D

It's in the west I'm afraid, sorry!