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AXEHEAD
Unique ID: CORN-DA2A19
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A ficron hand axe of the Acheulean tradition, dating from the Lower Palaeolithic period, originally from the collection of Roy Rainbird Clarke (1914-1963). In plan, the axe is triangular with concave sides, typical of the ficron style of hand axe (Wymer, Mode 2, Type M). Made on a flint nodule the flint has been flaked to remove most of the cortex, except for a large patch at the butt end, producing a tapering axe which is lozenge-shaped in section. The narrow tip has been finely flaked to a point. The surface of the flint is coated with a thick, silky patina which has become a deep orange 'butterscotch' colour by the slow absorption of iron salts over time. The ficron appears to have been a specialised tool, used by holding the thick butt end in the hand, but its exact function is not known. The earliest evidence of the Acheulean in Britain is a hand axe from Happisburgh, Norfolk which has been dated to 700,000 BP and the tradition continued until around 200,000 BP. Ficron axes are uncommon.
Wymer Vol 1 (1999) illustrates a ficron axe from Furze Platt as his Type M example on page 11, fig.4, and the same ficron axe at a larger scale on page 45, fig.11, no.1 (although curiously he calls it a pointed hand-axe in the caption to that figure).
Butler (2005) illustrates the same ficron hand axe on p.63, fig.22, letter M, which is dated from the Lower Palaeolithic period, c.500,000 - 150,000 BC.
Find of note status
This is a find of note and has been designated: National importance
Class:
Mode 2
Sub class: Type M
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: In a private collection, recorded for academic use
Chronology
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: PALAEOLITHIC
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: PALAEOLITHIC
Date from: Circa 500000 BC
Date to: Circa 200000 BC
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 230 mm
Width: 100 mm
Weight: 980 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 1st January 1900 - Tuesday 1st January 1963
Personal details
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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: South Norfolk (District)
Parish or ward: Surlingham (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TG3106
Four figure Latitude: 52.60264293
Four figure longitude: 1.40985218
1:25K map: TG3106
1:10K map: TG30NW
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler, C. | 2005 | Prehistoric Flintwork | Stroud | The History Press | p.63, fig.22 | letter M | |
| Wymer, J.J. | 1999 | The Lower Palaeolithic Occupation of Britain | Wessex Arch./English Heritage | pp.11 & 45, figs.4 & 11 | letter M and no.1 |
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