TopStop#11 – The Malone Hoard

The Malone Hoard is a collection of 19 stone age axe heads that were found at during the construction of Danesfort House in Malone, a district of south Belfast.

These items are made from porcelanite, a hard black stone found only in two places in Northern Ireland. It is a hard, dense rock, somewhat similar in appearance to unglazed porcelain.

Many of the axe heads are too big for efficient use as a tool or weapon. It has been suggested that the use of the aces was for ceremonial, religious, decorative or for trade as none show signs of use or wear and so many were found together suggests they were the property of a high-status individual.