572 AIR. F. W HAKMER ON THE AGE OF A FLINT IMPLEMENT 
the earliest, the most recent portion of the Upper Glacial deposits, 
to the earliest part of the Lower Glacial, to an horizon which 
Mr. Woodward even regards as preglacial. 
Unfortunately we could find no evidence at all in support of this 
hypothesis. On the contrary, the evidence is almost conclusive in 
the opposite direction. 
On questioning the workmen, we found that the implement was 
not found in situ in the gravel, but lying on a heap of stones a 
short way olf. An illustration that such evidence is of no value 
was ready to our hand, for although the bulk of the stones had 
evidently been taken from the pit of Lower Glacial gravel, we 
found mixed with it one or two fragments of brick, which certainly 
were not of Lower Glacial age. There is exactly as much evidence, 
however, neither more nor less, for the preglacial age of the brick 
as for that of the implement. It is true that the workmen stated 
that they had on a former occasion found a similarly shaped stone 
in the gravel, but no importance can be attached to such a statement. 
The evidence that the implement could not have been found in 
these beds is very strong. It will be seen from the excellent 
photograph taken by Mr. Bidwell, a copy of which is here 
given, that the implement is rather of a neolithic than a palieolithic 
type. Sir John Evans says it is neolithic. Mr. Prestwich thinks 
it may be palaeolithic, but that it has a very neolithic appearance. 
It is not polished or ground, but it has been most carefully chipped, 
is quite symmetrical in shape, and was evidently made by a very 
skilful workman. I have very little doubt myself that it is of 
neolithic age. There are several very similar neolithic flints in the 
Norwich Museum, and moreover, we were informed that there is 
supposed to be in the next field to that in which the llellesdon 
brick yards are situated, the remains of a Neolithic tumulus, and 
from this possibly the flint implement originally came. 
It may be further pointed out that the Bure valley gravels are 
marine, containing at Belaugh, Orostwick, Aylsham, and elsewhere 
marine shells. These beds were probably deposited by the waters 
of a bay which extended over a great part of Norfolk, and as far 
south as Ilalesworth in Suffolk. It has never been suggested by 
any one, except the Editor of Punch, that palaeolithic men had 
boats, but even he seems to think they did not venture out of sight 
of land ! 
