SICKLE

An incomplete bifacially worked fragment of a flint Sickle of Neolithic dating (circa 4000 BC - 2351 BC).

The fragment is broadly sub-triangular in shape, and broadly lentoid (lozenge) shaped in cross section. The fragment comes from towards the tip of the sickle, however the actual tip and the base are now missing. The flint is white and grey in colour with the tip in a brown colour. The fragment has a bowed curved edge. Both the ventral and dorsal faces of the flake have been reworked. This secondary reworking is best seen on the curved edge where detailed neat small flakes have been removed by indirect retouch and pressure flaking or scaled flaking. On the dorsal face this working extends up to cover a third of the blade, creating a neat ridge, but no serration. The tip has been broken off, and the opposite edge has been reworked. The ventral face is less worked, however the conchoidal fracture can be seen more clearly on this side, though it is present on the dorsal side as well. Other areas of reworking are limited with the majority being positioned near the blade edges. The flaking on this small fragment appears to be of very high workmanship. This is echoed in the type of flint used, being relatively free of flaws in the matrix. The blades (both curve edges) have been retouched, the type is scaled retouch and the angle is a low angle of retouch, to give the blade sharp edges.

The fragment measures: 34.8 mm length and is 21.5 mm wide at the base of the fragment and 13.7 mm wide at the tip of the fragment. The fragment is 5.5 mm thick and weighs 3.4 grams.

The fragment is a white to brown in colour with an even patina. The flint is translucent and appears of high quality. Abrasion caused by movement whilst within the plough soil may have resulted in the loss of some of the original surface detail and may also have caused the loss of the rest of the sickle.