Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
HANDAXE
Unique ID: MAS-O100062
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
Lower Palaeolithic ovate handaxe dating to around 250,000 years bp (before present). Patina evident on its surface indicates that the tool has been deposited in chalk, therefore it probably originated offshore and was washed onshore (rather than eroded from terrestrial river terraces). This identification was made by Bryan Popple of Bournemouth Natural Science Society and Museum. Matt Leivers, an in-house specialist at Wessex Archaeology believes it is a very rolled and abraded Lower Palaeolithic handaxe that has clearly been around on the seabed for a considerable period of time.
Notes:
This item was found with a smaller handaxe (MAS-O100099).
Class:
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Sub class: CUTTING EQUIPMENT
Subsequent actions
Current location of find: With finder
Subsequent action after recording: Submitted as wreck to the Receiver of Wreck
Chronology
Broad period: PALAEOLITHIC
Period from: PALAEOLITHIC
Period to: PALAEOLITHIC
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 18th June 2017
Personal details
Found by: This information is restricted for your login.
Recorded by: L R
Identified by: Mr Bryan Popple
Secondary identifier: Mr Matt Leivers
Materials and construction
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SZ2293
Four figure Latitude: 50.73620009
Four figure longitude: -1.68961218
1:25K map: SZ2293
1:10K map: SZ23SW
Display four figure position on What3Words
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
Similar objects
Find number: MAS-O100099
Object type: HANDAXE
Broadperiod: PALAEOLITHIC
Heavily sea-rolled and worn worked flint tool, covered in chalk patination (see third image). The flint measures 80 mm long, 60 mm wide and 30…
Workflow: Published
Find number: MAS-O100203
Object type: HANDAXE
Broadperiod: PALAEOLITHIC
Images of this find were sent to Andrew Shaw, flint specialist at Wessex Archaeology who determined that this object is an ovate biface handax…
Workflow: Published
Find number: MAS-D100072
Object type: BOTTLE
Broadperiod: NINETEENTH CENTURY
One Hamilton bottle also known as a torpedo or egg bottle. These bottles are named after their English inventor, William Francis Hamilton who …
Workflow: Published
About us
About our site
Data labs
Find us
Wessex Archaeology
Portway House, Old Sarum Park
Salisbury SP4 6EB
T: +44(0) 1722 326867
E: