Chronology:

Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC:

Specific Circa: Middle-Palaeolithic – Doggerland:

Date from: 90000 BC:

Date to: 35000 BC:

Dimensions and weight:

Length: 86mm:

Width: 63mm:

Thickness:28mm:

Weight: 196.06 grams:

Description:

A complete flint handaxe dating to the middle Palaeolithic, it is a small example and ovate in form and is complete to the tip: The butt is ‘U’ shaped and utilizes the natural cortex form of the flint: Approximately 80% of the blade edges have been worked with hard hammer reduction flaking with 20% of the original cortex form retained, to assist the triangular formed shape of the point:

To one face we see the remains of an impact scar which, has exposed an inner crystalline matrix [possibly a contemporary feature]: The flint core is a black colour with a white to cream cortex [Grimmes Grave type]:

Provenance: Original Finder

I recovered the axehead within a section of a deep ancient riverbed [now dry], upon the Fen edge in Northern Cambridgeshire in Jan. 2024: 

Reference material and further reading: 

Where possible ancient artifacts may be referenced to similar material observed in the following publications within my collection:

• British Artefacts Vol.1, 2 and 3: Brett Hammond [Greenlight Publishing 2010]:

• Celtic & Roman Artefacts: Nigel Mills [Greenlight Publishing 2007]:

• SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome: Mary Beard [Profile Books 2015]:

• 50 Bronze Age Artefacts: Portable Antiquities Scheme: Dot Boughton [Amberley Publishing 2021]:

• Pottery in Britain 4000BC to AD 1900: Lloyd Laing [Greenlight Publishing 2003]:

• British Iron Age Coins In The British Museum: Richard Hobbs [British Museum 1996]:

• Swords of The Viking Age: Ian Peirce: [The Boydell Press 2003]:

• Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society Volume 85: [Cambridge University Press

  2019]

• Mesolithic Europe: Geoff Bailey / Penny Spikins [Cambridge University Press 2008]

• Viking Art: James Graham-Campbell: [Thames & Hudson, London 2018]

• Roman Coins Vol. 1, 2 & 3: David R Sear: [Spink London 2000]:

• The Roman Cavalry: Karen R. Dixon: [B. . Batsford 1997]:

• Rome’s Saxon Shore: Coastal Defenses of Roman Britain AD 250 – 500: Nic Fields [Osprey Publishing 2006]:

• Amulets of Ancient Egypt: Carol Andrews: [University of Texas Press / British Museum Press 1994]:

• The Uniforms of the Roman World: Military dress, weapons, artillery, ships, siege engines and fortifications: Kevin F. Killey: [Anness Publishing 2017]:

Where possible finger rings may be referenced to similar material observed in the following publications within my collection:

• Victorian and Albert Museum CATALOGUE OF FINGER RINGS 1930: C.C.Oman [Anglia Publishing. 1991 – Now out of print]:

• Finger Rings: Diana Scarisbrick / Martin Henig: [Ashmolean Museum Oxford. 2003]:

• Ancient Rings An Illustrated Collectors Guide: T. N. Polio: [McFarland & Co Inc. 2018:

• 1000 Rings: Inspiring Adornments of the Hand: Le Van, Marthe; Ebendorf, Robert [W: Lark Books 2004]:

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