Middle and New Stone Age

The Prehistory collection begins in the Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic), about 8,000 to 4,000 BC. It includes much material collected from the west coast of north Cumbria including such sites as Drigg and Eskmeals. Material representing the New Stone Age (Neolithic), about 4,000 to 2,500 BC, includes a large number of polished stone axes, many from the Langdale area of Cumbria, as well as flint arrowheads and knives. The collection also includes a small amount of Neolithic pottery, and several examples of rock art, the most important being the cup-and-ring marked Edenhall Stone, although this may date to the Bronze Age.

 
A selection of polished axes, flint tools and rock art can be seen in the Border Galleries.