HER 5003 - Upper Palaeolithic tools and debitage, Church Lammas, north-west Staines

A watching brief on mineral extraction works was carried out by SCAU. In late 1994, flint blades of unusual length began to be found by the site observer. The growing collection of tools and debitage recovered was clearly Upper Palaeolithic and was in association with animal bones. English Heritage therefore funded excavation by SCAU. Ditches of two successive field systems and the southern arm of an early post-medieval rectilinear stock enclosure were revealed. The concentration of Upper Palaeolithic material previously disturbed proved to be the only such concentration present. A few Upper Palaeolithic-type flints and animal bone fragments were discovered to the north west of the main concentration, in association with a hollow which probably represents the remains of a watercourse; its fill was sampled for environmental evidence. Altogether 326 struck flints were recovered; at least twenty-four of the flakes, more than ten of the blades, and a few fragments of bone are burnt, which may indicate that, as well as being a flint-knapping and animal dismemberment site, a fire was set for the further preparation of food.

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Related Records

• SHHER_5004
• SHHER_5005

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