Palaeolithic Stone Tools
The Palaeolithic is often divided into lower, middle and upper. British Isles: Humans probably first arrived in Britain around 800,000 BC. These early inhabitants had to cope with extreme environmental changes and they left Britain at least seven times when conditions became too bad.
The period lasted between 800,000 and 12,000 years ago which saw the end of the last Ice Age.
Very few sites of habitation are known.
The earliest is at Happisburgh (Pronounced Hazeboro) on the Norfolk coast and another is near the village of Boxgrove, just outside Chichester in West Sussex, which is 550,000 years old.
Many of the Palaeolithic tools found in England have been found in river terrace gravels where they were deposited by the waters from rivers and melting glaciers.
Palaeolithic Boring Tool (Clactonian)
Provenance – Found Along the Naze at Walton-On-The-Naze
Description – This interesting tool was found in a region well known for clactonian flint tools, it came straight out from the red crag and london clay at Walton-On-The-Naze. This tool is crude and made with a grey / white flint, it’s possible that this is a piece of re-worked debitage and used as a boring tool or a crude blade.
Size – 4.5 cm x 8.4 cm
Weight – 34g
Age – 400,000 – 40,000 BP