THUMB NAIL SCRAPER

Five (5) thumbnail scrapers of later Neolithic or Early Bronze Age date (2300 -1800BC). The scrapers vary in colour from mid grey to pale brown. All are formed on D shaped flakes with high D shaped cross sections. Many of the scrapers dorsal faces have several broad removals / flake facets most probably caused by other flakes being removed for tool production. Several of the upper dorsal faces have retouch best described as long and covering pressure flaking. Around the exterior edges of all the scrapers are areas of dense neat regular well applied secondary retouch . This has been well applied and forms a slightly serrated cutting / scraping edge that extends around three sides of the flake (in a horse-shoe shape). The form of retouch on the dorsal face is best described on all as being short stepped and abrupt. Little or no retouch is applied to the edges on the ventral face in any of the examples.

This type of scraper is the most common type of tool found within flint assemblages of later Neolithic date, being a multi-function cutting and scraping tool which were infrequently hafted.

The scrapers measure:

1. Length: 32.29mm, Width: 26.74mm, Thickness: 10.65mm,  Weight: 11.7 grams
2. Length: 32.52mm, Width: 26.61mm, Thickness: 12.42mm,  Weight: 10.2 grams
3. Length: 27.68mm, Width: 23.00mm, Thickness: 10.46mm,  Weight: 6.7 grams
4. Length: 24.18mm, Width: 22.07mm, Thickness:    8.23mm, Weight: 4.8 grams
5. Length: 19.65mm, Width: 18.85mm, Thickness:    5.81mm, Weight: 2.3 grams

The bulk weight measures 35.7 grams