Giant stone artefacts found on rare Ice Age site in Kent, UK

Date:
July 6, 2023
Source:
University College London
Summary:
Researchers have discovered some of the largest early prehistoric
stone tools in Britain.


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FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers at the UCL Institute of Archaeology have discovered some of
the largest early prehistoric stone tools in Britain.

The excavations, which took place in Kent and were commissioned in
advance of development of the Maritime Academy School in Frindsbury,
revealed prehistoric artefacts in deep Ice Age sediments preserved on
a hillside above the Medway Valley.

The researchers, from UCL Archaeology South-East, discovered 800 stone artefacts thought to be over 300,000 years old, buried in sediments which filled a sinkhole and ancient river channel, outlined in their research, published in Internet Archaeology.

Amongst the unearthed artefacts were two extremely large flint knives
described as "giant handaxes." Handaxes are stone artefacts which have
been chipped, or "knapped," on both sides to produce a symmetrical shape
with a long cutting edge. Researchers believe this type of tool was
usually held in the hand and may have been used for butchering animals
and cutting meat. The two largest handaxes found at the Maritime site
have a distinctive shape with a long and finely worked pointed tip,
and a much thicker base.

Senior Archaeologist Letty Ingrey (UCL Institute of Archaeology), said:
"We describe these tools as 'giants' when they are over 22cm long and we
have two in this size range. The biggest, a colossal 29.5cm in length,
is one of the longest ever found in Britain. 'Giant handaxes' like this
are usually found in the Thames and Medway regions and date from over
300,000 years ago.

"These handaxes are so big it's difficult to imagine how they could have
been easily held and used. Perhaps they fulfilled a less practical or more symbolic function than other tools, a clear demonstration of strength and skill. While right now, we aren't sure why such large tools were being
made, or which species of early human were making them, this site offers a chance to answer these exciting questions." The site is thought to date
to a period in the early prehistory of Britain when Neanderthal people
and their cultures were beginning to emerge and may even have shared
the landscape with other early human species. The Medway Valley at this
time would have been a wild landscape of wooded hills and river valleys, inhabited by red deer and horses, as well as less familiar mammals such
as the now-extinct straight-tusked elephant and lion.

While archaeological finds of this age, including another spectacular
'giant' handaxe, have been found in the Medway Valley before, this is
the first time they have been found as part of large-scale excavation,
offering the opportunity to glean more insights into the lives of
their makers.

Dr Matt Pope (UCL Institute of Archaeology), said: "The excavations at the Maritime Academy have given us an incredibly valuable opportunity to study
how an entire Ice Age landscape developed over a quarter of a million
years ago. A programme of scientific analysis, involving specialists
from UCL and other UK institutions, will now help us to understand why
the site was important to ancient people and how the stone artefacts,
including the 'giant handaxes' helped them adapt to the challenges of
Ice Age environments." The research team is now working on identifying
and studying the recovered artefacts to better understand who created
them and what they were used for.

Senior Archaeologist Giles Dawkes (UCL Institute of Archaeology)
is leading work on a second significant find from the site -- a Roman
cemetery, dating to at least a quarter of a million years later than the
Ice Age activity. The people buried here between the first and fourth
centuries AD could have been the inhabitants of a suspected nearby villa
that may have lain around 850 metres to the south.

The team found the remains of 25 individuals, 13 of which were
cremated. Nine of the buried individuals were found with goods
or personal items including bracelets, and four were interred in
wooden coffins. Collections of pottery and animal bones found nearby
likely relate to feasting rituals at the time of burial. Though Roman
buildings and structures have been extensively excavated, cemeteries have historically been less of a focus for archaeologists and the discovery
of this site offers potentially new insights into the burial customs
and traditions of both the Romans who lived at the villa, and those in
the nearby town of Rochester.

Jody Murphy, Director of Education at the Thinking Schools Academy
Trust said: "We, at Maritime Academy and the Thinking Schools Academy
Trust, feel very lucky to be a part of this phenomenal discovery. We
take great pride in our connection to our local community and region,
with much of our school identity linked to the history of Medway. We
look forward to taking advantage of this unique opportunity to teach our
young people about these finds, creating a lasting legacy for those who
came before us."
* RELATED_TOPICS
o Fossils_&_Ruins
# Ancient_Civilizations # Cultures # Archaeology #
Early_Climate # Fossils # Lost_Treasures # Ancient_DNA
# Evolution
* RELATED_TERMS
o Stone_Age o Stone_tool o Rosetta_Stone o
Artifact_(archaeology) o Feathered_dinosaurs o Homo_ergaster
o Petroglyph o Tutankhamun

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========================================================================== Related Multimedia:
* Enormous_handaxe_and_other_stone_artefacts ========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Letty Ingrey, Martin Bates, Sarah Duffy, Matt Pope. A New
Palaeolithic
Giant Handaxe from Britain: Initial Results from Excavations at
Maritime Academy, Medway, Kent. Internet Archaeology, 2023; (61)
DOI: 10.11141/ ia.61.6 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230706002155.htm

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