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Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

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FourWinds
FourWinds
10943 posts

Re: didimus.
Jul 02, 2004, 16:50
>> You ask for evidence - hit the books fella, it's all there.
>> I'll scratch the surface for you.

Ooh, it's so nice to be patronised.

>> these were people who had access to local stone that would have done the job just
>> as well but they chose to undertake journeys to aquire 'exotic' axes for some reason.

Who said they did? Has anyone found a Neolithic PDA with a travel itinery in it? It is just as likely that exotic axes were given either as dowreys or peace offerings or were taken as trophies after a battle.

There's no need to go on a journey just for an axe. Axes would have been traded along with gold, pots, skins etc and so they would have travelled without the need for anyone to go on a long journey. What of the travelling salesman? These certainly existed in the Bronze Age. Did this practice only start in the Bronze Age? I shouldn't think so, it's more likely to have been carried on from earlier times.

There are only a handful of axe factories in Ireland so the some sections of the Irish community, who would have traded other goods with mainland GB anyway, would have had to obtain axes from other places (and traded Irish ones as export), especially if they were at war with the tribes between them and the 'local' axe factories. The people might not have 'chosen' to travel to get axes, but may have been forced to do so.

Also, why travel to a nearer axe factory across hostile terrain full of wolves, bears and bandits, when you can sail safely to a friendly village further away where you can obtain them? To a people with exceptional sailing skills (probably) the choice is simple.
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