Specialists at the UCL Establishment of Paleohistory have found the absolute biggest early ancient stone devices in England.
Prehistoric artifacts were discovered in deep Ice Age sediments preserved on a hillside above the Medway Valley during the Kent excavations, which were ordered in advance of the development of the Maritime Academy School in Frindsbury.
In their study, which was published in Internet Archaeology, the researchers from UCL Archaeology South-East discovered 800 stone artifacts buried in sediments that filled a sinkhole and an ancient river channel. These artifacts are thought to be more than 300,000 years old.
Two extremely large flint knives that were described as “giant handaxes” were among the artifacts that were found. Handaxes are stone relics that have been chipped, or “knapped,” on the two sides to deliver an even shape with a long front line. It is possible that this kind of tool was used for butchering animals and cutting meat because it was typically held in the hand. The two largest handaxes discovered at the Maritime site have a distinctive shape, with a much thicker base and a long, finely worked, pointed tip.
“We call these tools ‘giants’ when they are longer than 22cm, and we have two in this size range. The largest, at a whopping 29.5cm in length, is one of the longest ever discovered in Britain. These ‘giant handaxes’ are typically found in the Thames and Medway districts and date back over 300,000 years.”
Senior Archaeologist Letty Ingrey (UCL Institute of Archaeology),
“We describe these tools as ‘giants’ when they are over 22cm long,” stated senior archaeologist Letty Ingrey of the UCL Institute of Archaeology. “We have two in this size range.” One of the longest ever discovered in Britain is the largest, which measures a staggering 29.5 cm. These gigantic handaxes, which date back more than 300,000 years, are typically found in the Thames and Medway regions.
Letty Ingrey, ASE Senior Archaeologist, measures the largest giant handaxe. Credit: Antiquarianism South-East/UCL
“These handaxes are so huge, it’s challenging to envision how they might have been handily held and utilized. Perhaps they served a more symbolic or less practical purpose than other tools, namely to clearly demonstrate strength and skill. This site gives us a chance to find out the answers to these exciting questions, even though we don’t yet know why such large tools were made or which species of early humans were the ones who made them.
The Neanderthal people and their cultures are thought to have first emerged during the early prehistory of Britain, and the site may even have shared the landscape with other early humans. At this time, the Medway Valley would have been a wild area with wooded hills and river valleys. Red deer, horses, and less well-known mammals like the straight-tusked elephant and lion would have lived there.
This is the first time that archaeological finds of this age, including another spectacular “giant” handaxe, have been found in the Medway Valley as part of a large-scale excavation, giving researchers a chance to learn more about their makers’ lives.
Letty Ingrey, ASE Senior Archaeologist, examines the largest handaxe. Credit: Archaeology South-East/ UCL.
“The excavations at the Maritime Academy have given us an extremely valuable opportunity to study how an entire Ice Age landscape developed over a quarter of a million years ago,” stated Dr. Matt Pope of the UCL Institute of Archaeology. We will now be able to learn more about why the site was important to ancient people and how the stone artifacts, such as the “giant handaxes,” helped them adapt to the challenges of Ice Age environments through a program of scientific analysis that involves specialists from UCL and other institutions in the UK.
The recovered artifacts are being identified and studied by the research team to learn more about their creators and purposes.
One of the handaxes at the point of discovery on site. Credit: Archaeology South-East/ UCL
Giles Dawkes, a senior archaeologist at the UCL Institute of Archaeology, is leading work on a second significant find from the site: a Roman cemetery that dates at least a quarter of a million years back from the Ice Age. Individuals covered here between the first and fourth centuries of the past might have been the occupants of a nearby estate that might have lain around 850 meters toward the south.
Archaeologists excavating at the Maritime Academy School site in Frinsdbury. Credit: Archaeology South-East/ UCL
The group found the remaining parts of 25 people, 13 of whom were incinerated. Four of the people were buried in wooden coffins, and nine of the buried people were found with personal belongings like bracelets. Nearby collections of pottery and animal bones probably refer to feasting practices during burial.
However, Roman structures and designs have been broadly exhumed, graveyards have generally been to a lesser extent a concentration for archeologists, and the disclosure of this site offers possibly new experiences into the entombment customs and customs of both the Romans who inhabited the estate and those in the close-by town of Rochester.
“We, at Maritime Academy and the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, feel very lucky to be a part of this phenomenal discovery,” stated Jody Murphy, Director of Education at the Thinking Schools Academy Trust. We are extremely proud of our connection to the community and region that we live in, and a significant portion of our school’s identity is based on Medway’s past. We are excited to use this one-of-a-kind opportunity to educate our young people about these finds and leave a lasting legacy for those who came before us.”
More information: Letty Ingrey et al, A New Palaeolithic Giant Handaxe from Britain: Initial Results from Excavations at Maritime Academy, Medway, Kent, Internet Archaeology (2023). DOI: 10.11141/ia.61.6
