Reanalysis of millennia-old axes and polished stones found in 1802 has revealed tiny traces of gold

A collection of polished “lumps of stone” found in a burial mound near Stonehenge more than two centuries ago are a 4,000-year-old goldsmith’s toolkit, archaeologists have said.

Microscopic reanalysis of axes and shaped cobbles found in the grave has revealed tiny traces of gold and wear marks, showing they were used by a skilled craftsperson to hammer and smooth sheets of gold.

Reanalysis of millennia-old axes and polished stones found in 1802 has revealed tiny traces of goldA collection of polished “lumps of stone” found in a burial mound near Stonehenge more than two centuries ago are a 4,000-year-old goldsmith’s toolkit, archaeologists have said.Microscopic reanalysis of axes and shaped cobbles found in the grave has revealed tiny traces of gold and wear marks, showing they were used by a skilled craftsperson to hammer and smooth sheets of gold. Continue reading…