A HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE 



of the Thames, where the old gravels have been worked for road-metal. 

 Implements had previously been found in other parts of the Thames 

 valley. 



The Palaeolithic Age in Berkshire must have lasted a very long 

 time, as is evident from the fact that during its continuance the river- 

 channel was cut down some 70 feet deeper. A considerable lapse of 

 time is also indicated by the differences in the condition and form of 

 the implements. Some are of ruder type, and are very much rolled by 

 water-action ; others are comparatively unabraded. Occasionally it is 

 found that an old broken implement has been re-chipped at a later date. 

 A specimen of the kind is in the Reading Museum. Owing however 

 to the mixed condition of fluviatile deposits, it is not quite practicable 

 to draw up a chronological order of sequence of the various forms ; for 

 implements of a rude form are found at all levels ; and at one of the 

 highest and presumably oldest levels, namely at St. Peter's Hill (Toots 

 farm), Caversham, various types have been found, although the lanceo- 

 late form is most in evidence, and the workmanship varies, showing 

 every transition from highly finished forms to slightly trimmed nodules. 1 



The gravel-deposit in which these Caversham implements have 

 been found is 114 feet above the level of the Thames. Of the large 

 number of specimens found here many have been but little rolled. 

 Flakes were also abundant. It is curious that a considerable number of 

 small instruments of the hatchet type have been found here, some being 

 even less than 2 inches long. From all the indications it is probable 

 that most of the implements were made near the spot. Implements 

 have also been found at Caversham, in Henley Road, only about 50 feet 

 above the river-level. They were associated with the remains of 

 mammoth, and are of different type from the above, approximating in 

 general form to those found at Grovelands and at other places on the 

 Berkshire side of the river. 



The gravel of the Grovelands pit near Reading is about 75 feet 

 above the river-level, and the implements found here are not particularly 

 well made. They are mostly irregularly ovate, have usually a clumsy look, 

 and many of them are water-worn. The type, as suggested by Prof. 

 Rupert Jones," has a certain amount of affinity to the Moustierian of the 

 French caves. 3 At this pit flakes of flint, large and small, were 

 numerous ; yet the unabraded tools were few and rarely of good type. 

 Large and rude tools such as choppers or ' diggers,' also scrapers, par- 

 ticularly of the hollow type, were relatively abundant. An interesting 

 form combining a knife, saw, and hollow scraper is consistent with 

 a comparatively late date. A hatchet of quartzite was found here by 

 Dr. J. Stevens, 2 and scrapers of the same material have been found. 

 Quartzite was rarely used by Early Man for cutting tools if flint could be 

 obtained. The implements found in this pit were more abundant near 

 the base of the gravel. 



1 In general facies they are not unlike the St. Acheul implements. 

 J See Dr. J. Stevens (op. cit.). 3 See Reliquce Aquitanicte. 



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