PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS FROM THAMES VALLEY. 5-; 



contemporaneous implements in the low-level drift of the Thames 

 Valley, especially in the Essex portion, I have thought it desir- 

 able, while describing them here, to give in addition an account 

 of some specimens which I obtained from the brickearth at 

 Grays, together with others from Crayford. Moreover, they 

 belong to the generally little known group of flake-tools, and 

 have a further interest in that they well exhibit the dexterity and 

 neatness in the art of flaking which Palaeolithic man had attained 

 at this late epoch of his reign in Britain. 



The first discovery of implements in the low-level drift of 

 the Thames Valley was made at Crayford,' where, beneath the 

 chalk cliff against which the fossiliferous brickearth abuts, Mr. 

 F. C. J. Spurrell came across a dense layer of flakes : — 



" The uppermost edge of the area covered by them is about 36 feet from 

 the present surface, the lowest nearly six feet lower. This area was thickly 

 covered with chips for the space of about 10 feet north and south, and, as far 

 as I know at present, 15 feet east and west but I expect that it will 



be found to extend further . . . The fragments of flint lay touching each 

 other, in parts to a thickness of several inches. . The flakes are in 



most cases quite new and clean, always so on the lower side, very slightly 

 discoloured on the upper. . I have been able to piece together many of 



these flakes, and to demonstrate that the object sought was the manufacture 

 of hiches, which has been confirmed by my digging out the broad end of a 

 flint hache in the presence of Prof. Boyd Dawkins, whom I had asked to visit 

 the place ; and later I recovered the rest of the implement. Some of 



the smaller chips leave no doubt that besides these coarser operations of 

 blocking out, very fine work indeed was attempted. . . A few small pieces 

 of bone were found immediately beneath the layer ; but above could be seen 

 fine specimens, and smaller ones in abundance. . . Numerous splinters of 

 the large bones lay around and suggested their having been broken for food." 

 This locality has also yielded a large number of designedly 

 shaped flakes, a characteristic example of which is shewn in 

 Fig. I. There can be no doubt that this was meant to be used 

 as a knife, the thick end probably being bound round with 

 vegetable fibre or animal sinew, after the style of the Australian 

 knife figured by Sir John Evans, "" and as such one cannot but 

 admire its effectiveness. It well illustrates the clever way in 

 which the later Palaeolithic people manipulated the flint. Even 

 more eloquent of their ability is the testiaiony of the spear-heads, 

 one of which is represented by Fig. 2, for their shape is an indis- 

 putable indication of forethought and skill in execution. 



1 F. C. J. Spurrkll, " On the Discovery of the Place where Palaeolithic Implements were 

 made at Crayford." Q. Journ.Geol. Soc, vol. xxxvi. (1880). 



2 The Ancient Stone Implements . . . of Great Britain. 2iid edition, London. (1897), 



