826 EEPORT— 1895. 



4. Report on the Plateau Flints of North Kent.—^ee Reports, p. 349. 



5. On Graving Tools from the Terrace-Gravels of the Thames Valley. 



By H. Stopes. 



The author exhibited and described sixty-four stones worked and used by- 

 Palaeolithic man. These were selected from many more of similar types. They 

 have all been found in the gravels resting on the Chalk, on the Kentish side of tlie 

 Thames, at levels ranging from 70 feet to 105 feet above O.D. from the various 

 pits occurring between Higham and Dartford. 



The series consists of seven distinct forms or groups: — 



1. Ordinary flakes with used and worked ends ranging from ^ inch to 8 inches 

 long. 



2. Fragments or large flakes worked all round but brought to a spur or point, 

 chiefly left-handed, and varying much in shape and size. The points are straight 

 or curved, pointed and duck-billed. 



3. Cores similar to 2, but with carefully-formed points, indicating much wear 

 and use, chiefly left-handed. 



4. Split flints or wide flakes made nearly square, with one, two, or more points 

 at the corners. Wear on sides indicates use as spokeshaves. 



5. Ovate, well-formed tools, or large flakes with strong sharp spur or point at 

 sides or end. These run in size up to 5 inches in width by 7 inches in length. 



_ 6. Well-worked tools of the ordinary axe (or hache) shape, with well-defined 

 point at sharp or thin edge. In many this point could not be accidental. In 

 others a broken axe has had a point rechipped in such a position that it would not 

 be able to be readily or conveniently used as an axe. 



7. Nodules of flint very slightly worked at one end, chiefly with broad points 

 of the duck-bill type. These stones suggest extensive use of ivory, bone, wood, 

 shell, leather, and all such materials, together with a higher degree'of civilisation 

 and refinement than is commonly accorded as yet to Palaeolithic men. 



6. On Paloiolithic Projectiles. Bij H. Stopes. 



Ninety specimens were exhibited of stones, chiefly flint, found in the recognised 

 Palaeolithic gravels in Kent, Bedford, and Suffolk. These ranged from 8 in. in 

 diameter to less than 1 in., and from S in. in thickness to f in., and in weight from 

 over 3 lbs. to half an ounce. 



The suggested use was throwing by band, from a cleft-stick, or witli a 

 sling ; preferably the latter, as some could not be held in a cleft stick. Many are 

 very rough stones resembling cores, but are carefully fashioned to shape, and some 

 Lave obviously been used. The author compared them with some found in the 

 vicinity of Neolithic settlements, chiefly at a distance of from 70 to 150 yards out- 

 side the camp. 



The majority of the stones are circular and flat, the thickness equalling from 

 one-third to one-half the diameter. Some are carefully worked all over. 



One series, called gyrators, are very carefully shaped to a thin oval form that 

 possesses a half-spiral twist. The author suggested that they may have been slung, 

 and in flight they might describe an ellipse, after the fashion of a boomerang. Some 

 of these were too thick at the edges to permit of use as flaying-knives. 



Over 20 per cent, of the projectiles yet found by the author consist of broken 

 tools. The larger stones are frequently the butt-ends of axes, and the smaller have 

 often apparently been tips. Three shown were broken eoliths from the upper 

 plateau-gravels in Kent, that had been reworked and chipped by men prior to 

 deposition at 105 feet above O.D. in the Swanscombe gravels. One of these is 

 heavily patiuated and waterworn on its older faces. When being struck into its 

 present form a fine bulb of percussion was made, which is not waterworn. 



