Rights Holder: Norfolk County Council
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HANDAXE
Unique ID: NMS-9752E0
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
Flint hand axe, 139 x 76 x 37mm.
Oval in plan and tending to a plano-convex section, all flake removals appear to hard hammer struck. With a prominent "hump" on the convex face near to the butt. Recent chips show the original colour of the flint to be pale grey, the undamaged surfaces now heavily patinated glossy brown from exposure to iron oxides within the derived glacial gravels that this handaxe has been retrieved from. The body is rolled, blunting the edges and is extensively frost cracked, it is surprising that it has endured to the present day. Lower Palaeolithic, 600,000 - 150,000 BC.
Additional note by E. W.:
This example is perhaps particularly interesting as it has been made on a large flake (the 'débitage' technique), rather than shaped from a nodule (the 'façonage' technique), which is more common in Africa than the European region.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: PALAEOLITHIC
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: PALAEOLITHIC
Date from: Circa 600000 BC
Date to: Circa 150001 BC
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 139 mm
Width: 76 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 24th January 2011 - Monday 24th January 2011
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
SMR reference number: 3602
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: King's Lynn and West Norfolk (District)
To be known as: Grimston
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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