|
Date: |
|
Description: | An incomplete flint pick of Late Mesolithic or Early Neolithic date (c. 6500 BC ? c. 2900 BC). Length 132mm, maximum width 56mm and maximum thickness 34mm. Weight 326g.
The implement, found on the surface within the inter-tidal zone, close to high water mark, is made from an elongated pebble. The butt is missing as a result of an old break. In plan, the sides are roughly parallel but curve and taper near the cutting edge which has a rounded profile in plan. The implement is sub-oval throughout its length.
One face is flaked overall, except at one side close to the cutting edge where a small area of cortex is extant. The flaking on this face consists mainly of three long negative blade scars which have their proximal ends at the butt end. This can be deduced from the bulb of percussion on the central of the three scars and the formation of the rippling on each flanking scar. Smaller flaking scars on this face, forming one side of the cutting edge, are stained green as a result of the this part of the implement being in contact with Middle Shore vegetation.
The opposite face is partially flaked with about 40% of the surface area consisting of a smoothed cortex. Scaled and stepped flaking at a semi-abrupt angle occurs mainly along one side. A long narrow negative blade scar extends from a central mesial position to the extreme end of the cutting edge. Near the cutting edge it is flanked on each side by smaller flake scars. At one side a large and narrow transverse flake abuts the mesial blade scar. All these flaking scars contribute to the formation of the cutting edge on this face.
The break near the butt end is formed by two facets divided by a transverse arris. Each of these facets has a similar patination to the other flaked areas on both faces, indicating, perhaps, that the break occurred in antiquity.
Despite having an old break, the artefact is in good condition. The cortex is buff/grey and the flaked areas are mottled cream and buff/grey. It is slightly ?rolled?, probably as a consequence of having been in a mobile and changeable environment within the inter-tidal zone. It may have been a local product as flint is so readily available in the Isle of Wight.
Such picks are regularly reported in the Isle of Wight and a large number were recorded from the inter-tidal zone during an archaeological project funded by English Heritage (Loader et al 2002. ?Time and Tide: An Archaeological Survey of the Wootton-Quarr Coast?. Isle of Wight: Isle of Wight Council).
This pick may have derived from a submerged landscape due to the denudation of inter-tidal organic silts and peat. Alternatively, it may have come from ground at a higher elevation during the processes of cliff-line recession. | Format: | text/html | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ | Publisher: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Rights holder: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Subjects: | archaeology | Temporal: | -6500
-2900 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Frank Basford | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
PICK
An incomplete flint pick of…
-
-
PICK
A complete flint pick of…
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
|