Rights Holder: Norfolk County Council
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
LAUREL LEAF
Unique ID: NMS-CD9FD5
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Small, sub-pointed-oval biface, of mid-grey/brown flint now lightly patinated with a further brown tinge, all flake scars appear to be soft hammer struck and invasive, all surfaces have been modified by flake removals, no trace of the “blank” from which this was made remain, though it is likely it stated off as a large struck flake or a small, flat nodule of flint.
The flakes are confidently struck with only the occasional slight hinge terminations to the scars. The shape is intentionally slightly asymmetrical, one side of the base has two slight hollows, perhaps to aid hafting to a wooden handle as laurel leaves were potentially thought to be.
Laurel leaves are considered a type of Early Neolithic knife, their use as a spear or projectile point was discounted some time ago as they are not symmetrical and do not have a point. Butler, C. (2005).
Notes:
ENF152002 - Salle Detecting Group rally 06/11/2021
Find of note status
This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: NEOLITHIC
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: NEOLITHIC
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: NEOLITHIC
Date from: Circa 4000 BC
Date to: Circa 2351 BC
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 48 mm
Width: 39 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight: 19 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 8th November 2021 - Tuesday 1st February 2022
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
SMR reference number: 29291
Other reference: NMD022022
Materials and construction
Primary material: Flint
Manufacture method: Knapped/flaked
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Norfolk (County)
District: Broadland (District)
Parish or ward: Salle (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TG1124
Four figure Latitude: 52.77234469
Four figure longitude: 1.12653068
1:25K map: TG1124
1:10K map: TG12SW
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler, C. | 2005 | Prehistoric Flintwork | Stroud | The History Press |
Similar objects
Find number: NMS-CF5412
Object type: LAUREL LEAF
Broadperiod: NEOLITHIC
Laurel leaf, fully bifacially flaked with invasive soft hammer struck flake scars, confidently struck with the terminations overlapping at, a…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: NMS-9C98C0
Object type: AXE
Broadperiod: NEOLITHIC
Nearly complete, part polished axe, of orange patinated flint, the grey spots to this face are the coarse inclusions within the flint, the oth…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: NMS-C0A67B
Object type: DISCOIDAL KNIFE
Broadperiod: NEOLITHIC
Complete discoidal knife, of Clarke. J.G.D. (1932a) Form II with a D-shaped plan, both faces are entirely covered with soft hammer invasive fl…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618