The petrography and archaeology of English honestones

Abstract

Some major English sharpening stones well established by the 19th century are outlined and their use in earlier times is discussed where appropriate. Stratigraphically, Roman hones would appear to differ from the hones used from late Saxon times onward, and from late Saxon times until the Industrial Revolution hone types changed very little. English honestones and touchstone artifacts are arranged into six petrographic types, and the archaeological stratigraphy of these types at 14 recent excavations is outlined. One hone type, the Norwegian Ragstone, would appear to have been in use for upward of a thousand years.