Record ID: NARC-248CB1
Object type: BEAD
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
2 bone beads of probable prehistoric date. The beads are rather rudimentary; though well polished, they are undecorated, subcylindrical, and asymmetrical in form. It is difficult to determine the skeletal element from which they were made; the subcylindrical form could be manufactured from the phalanges of a large mammal, the longbones (e.g. metapodials) of a smaller mammal, or the tines of a deer antler. However, the disorganised microstructure of the objects, together with the presence of secondary osteones (visible under low powered microscopy) shows that postcranial bone was used…
Created on: Thursday 2nd August 2007
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-894AF2
Object type: LITHIC IMPLEMENT
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Large Acheulian hand axe. Dated to the Lower Paleolithic era (early stone age), approximately 500,000 to 250,000 BC. Triangular shape. The blunt end of the axe (the handling end) is 92mm wide and 32mm thick. It tapers down towards the tip, which is now missing. The axe is 120mm long from the edge to the break. The broken end is 39mm wide and 8mm thick. There is evidence of retouching along the edges, which are still relatively sharp, indicating a long period of use. Achelian handaxes are fashioned out of large stone pebbles, using antler as a tool to skillfully knapp away flakes until…
Created on: Friday 17th April 2009
Last updated: Friday 7th March 2014
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-56E1B7
Object type: CORE
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
3 fragments of core from probable Middle Palaeolithic flint industry. The fragments are of a deep, ginger flint, and may represent the production of a 'tortoise shell' core,charateristic of Levallois style tool production, in which cores are carefully worked before tools such as blades and scrapers are flaked away from them. The tools themselves then only need minimal retouching in order to ready them for use.
Created on: Friday 15th February 2008
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: BERK-95D308
Object type: BLADE
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A flint blade flake (Prehistoric). No areas of retouch. Orange/brown/grey flint with thick patina, there are some rust spots present on the flint. Small area of cortex (approx. 5%) on the tip of the flake. There are three removal scars on the dorsal surface. The flake appears to have come from the top of the core ?a core rejuvenating flake. There is some modern edge damage present. Length: 56.42mm; width: 23.36mm; thickness: 7.76mm; weight: 11.61g.
Created on: Tuesday 29th March 2005
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Middleton Cheney', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: NARC-6F5758
Object type: CORE
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete flint Core of Upper Palaeolithic to Early-Mesolithic date (250,000-5,500 BC). The object is a probable Long Blade core of the long blade industries of Southern and eastern England. This industry is attributed to the transition from Pleistocene to Holocene. The object is cylindrical with one clear striking platform, the other end is rounded and covered with cortex, as is approximately 25% of the surface. There are eight negative scars with corresponding arrises. One of the scars was produced by hinged flake removal toward the rounded or proximal end. The scars are long and p…
Created on: Thursday 23rd November 2017
Last updated: Wednesday 29th November 2017
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-6F742E
Object type: SCRAPER (TOOL)
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete Scraper/Blade of Upper Palaeolithic to Mesolithic date (250,000-5,500 BC). The object is a probable Long Blade of the long blade industries of Southern and eastern England. This industry is attributed to the transition from Pleistocene to Holocene. The object is sub-rectangular in plan and concavo-convex in section. The dorsal surface is convex and contains five predominant negative scars. Both the proximal and distal ends are blunted with the proximal end having one large deep negative scar. The left hand distal edge has a minor amount of fine low angle retouch. The ventra…
Created on: Thursday 23rd November 2017
Last updated: Wednesday 29th November 2017
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-47B16B
Object type: SCRAPER (TOOL)
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete flint Scraper of Upper Palaeolithic date (150,00-10,000 BC). The lithic is sub-triangular plan and plano-convex in section. The dorsal surface has covering scaled flaking. The proximal end has been abruptly blunted and all other edges have fine semi-abrupt retouch. The ventral surface has long scaled flaking. There is some cortex retained along the proximal left and right hand edges. The lithic retains a minor amount of cortex and is therefore a secondary flake. The flint is dark grey in colour with cream inclusions throughout, the cortex is light brown in colour.
Created on: Tuesday 22nd November 2016
Last updated: Wednesday 18th January 2017
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-47CC8E
Object type: HANDAXE
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete flint Handaxe of Upper Palaeolithic date (150,00-10,000 BC). The lithic is sub-triangular plan and concavo-convex in section. The dorsal surface has long scaled flaking to the left and right hand edges. The mesal and proximal edges are covering in retained cortex. The distal, right and left hand edges have abrupt retouch. The ventral surface has covering scaled flaking. The lithic retains a large amount cortex and is therefore a primary flake. The flint is a light orange/brown in colour with grey inclusions throughout, the cortex is a mid-brown in colour.
Created on: Tuesday 22nd November 2016
Last updated: Monday 29th January 2018
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-47F073
Object type: HANDAXE
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete flint Handaxe of Upper Palaeolithic date (150,00-10,000 BC). The lithic is sub-triangular plan and concavo-convex in section. The dorsal surface has long scaled flaking to the left and right hand edges. The mesal and proximal edges are covering in retained cortex. The distal, right and left hand edges have abrupt retouch. The ventral surface has covering scaled flaking. The lithic retains a large amount cortex and is therefore a primary flake. The flint is a light orange/brown in colour with grey inclusions throughout, the cortex is a mid-brown in colour.
Created on: Tuesday 22nd November 2016
Last updated: Wednesday 18th January 2017
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-DA3492
Object type: SCRAPER (TOOL)
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete flint Scraper of Upper Palaeolithic date (50,000-9000 BC).  The lithic is ovate in plan and Bi-convex in section. The dorsal surface has long covering flaking, under a thick orange layer of re-cortification. The proximal end is narrowed and all other edges have rough abrupt/semi abrupt retouch. The ventral surface is slightly convex with some voids in the re-cortified surface. The visible surface of the flint is deep orange. The lithic is a tertiary flake and shows similarities to 'tortoise shell' core, characteristic of Levallois style tool production …
Created on: Wednesday 6th April 2022
Last updated: Friday 12th August 2022
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-477A5B
Object type: SCRAPER (TOOL)
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
A complete flint Side Scraper of Upper Palaeolithic date (150,00-10,000 BC). The lithic is sub-rectangular in plan and plano-convex in section. The dorsal surface has one shallow negative scar at the proximal end and ripples of percussion emanating from the proximal end. The proximal end has been blunted and all other edges have rough abrupt retouch. Both the left and right hand edges have minor amounts of short scaled flaking. The ventral surface has seven predominant negative scars with corresponding arrises. There is some cortex retained along the distal and right hand edges. The li…
Created on: Tuesday 22nd November 2016
Last updated: Tuesday 17th October 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-FD1537
Object type: HANDAXE
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Published
A flint tool (probable hand axe) of probable Lower Palaeolithic date (c. 500 000 -250 000 BC). The tool has suffered post-depositional breakage along one edge, and considerable rolling. The axe is unifacial, and one edge has been tranchet-worked, but it is not a typical hand axe,and its precise character is ambiguous. It has a deep, toffee-brown patina. The find is typical of the sort of early prehistoric objects found in gravel deposits, but is an unusual find for Northamptonshire. The Palaeolithic, in particular, is poorly represented in both PAS and SMR data. The handaxe …
Created on: Monday 25th June 2007
Last updated: Thursday 8th May 2014
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-E38735
Object type: HANDAXE
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Published
An ovate implement of knapped flint; possibly an unfinished or rudimentary Palaeolithic handaxe. The edges have certainly been worked, and there is evidence of retouch, but the body of the implement bears few signs of working, and it seems to have been heavily rolled, so that the number of flake scars is unclear. L:126.5mm W: 103.5mm Th: 23.6mm Dr Kevin Leahy writes: In view of the lack of information on this object some caution is needed before it is accepted as a Handaxe.
Created on: Monday 30th July 2007
Last updated: Thursday 8th May 2014
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NARC-5F4FD3
Object type: LINEN SMOOTHER
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
County: Northamptonshire
Workflow stage: Published
A linen smoother or polishing stone. The stone is sub-circular, 65 mm in diameter, and of a chert-like composition. It was presumably simply a glacial pebble which was the ideal size for use as a tool. One surface has been struck by the plough, which has created a lineal scar on the pebble. The opposite surface has been worn flat and is incredibly smooth, where it has been used during polishing or the smoothing of clothes.
Created on: Tuesday 9th December 2003
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded.