Rights Holder: Somerset County Council
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Unique ID: SOM-517227
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A small discoidal flint core fragment, probably dating to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, c. 2900-1600 BC. The core is of an orange flint, sub-circular in plan with a shallow sub-triangular cross section and slightly convex base, giving it a cone-shaped appearance. Only and extremely small amount of cortex remains on the surface, with four larger blade-like nagative removal scars on the lateral surface, as well as some smaller removal scars. These removals were struck from multiple directions, with at least two struck from the scar of another removal. A diffuse bulb of percussion on the base of the cone may suggest that this fragment was intentionally removed to create a new platform, an oblique scar on the base may have been used as the platform from which this was struck.
The core fragment is 31.9mm long by 30.5mm wide and is 14.6mm thick; it weighs 13.92g.
Notes:
Part of a larger assemblage of flint recovered from the same field over the course of two months. The bulk of the assemblage is made up of debitage (SOM-4CE686), much of which is highly fragmentary but appears broadly to have been made up of fairly crude blade-like flakes. A high proportion of flakes still had cortex remaining on the dorsal face (6/30 primary, 14/30 secondary). In additon to this debitage are two flakes on which retouch is present but damage obscures the overall form, as well as a likely scraper, but where damage obscures clear evidence of retouch (SOM-3BCF3E). The assemblage contains three core fragments, two retain large areas of cortex on their surface, with one in particular showing crude removals, the third is more finely worked but exhibits evidence of removals from multiple directions, with two flakes struck from the scar of another. Conversely however, this same core fragment may have been removed deliberately, perhaps to create a new platform (SOM-60EE42,SOM-55EB5D,SOM-517227). The assemblage contains a number of simple scrapers of both flint (SOM-3C3EAA) and chert (SOM-3B6A0A), as well as a single characteristically early Bronze Age thumbnail scraper (SOM-3AED1D). Many of these scrapers retain a large area of cortex on the unworked lateral edge or dorsal face. Four large pieces of burnt flint were also found (SOM-51433E). Based on the above evidence a Late Neolithic to Early Bronze age date range seems likely for this assemblage, however there does also appear to be a scatter of earlier flint mixed in, the clearest evidence for which being four well formed blades (SOM-3A5D3A) all of which have a pale grey/white patina.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: NEOLITHIC
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: BRONZE AGE
Date from: Circa 2900 BC
Date to: Circa 1600 BC
Quantity: 1
Length: 31.9 mm
Width: 30.5 mm
Thickness: 14.6 mm
Weight: 13.92 g
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 1st July 2016 - Wednesday 31st August 2016
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Other reference: SCC receipt: 016943
Primary material: Flint
Manufacture method: Knapped/flaked
Completeness: Fragment
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.