Stone Age Farnham
the Stone Age? From the rock paintings of the Palaeolithic, to the nomadic flint-knappers of the Mesolithic, to the early farming technology of the Neolithic – the prehistoric period represents our first ancestors. Yet, the broad span of the periods – almost 100,000 years – covers such a diverse range of artefacts and complexity of themes that it is the stage of history which is often the most difficult to conceptualize. Looking at prehistory early on in the primary curriculum can help develop a good chronological understanding of British history, which is why it is often the first period covered in Key Stage 2. It can also be a great way ofintroducing the discipline of archaeology and object-based learning through its wealth of visual and artefactual material, and depending on the activities chosen, lessons can also easily tie into Art, Drama and English work.
Suggested sources (a good internet search will result in more!) Historic England’s educational resources - historicengland.org.uk/
services-skills/education (includes teaching activities and classroom resources, such as an immersive interactive timeline)
Canterbury Christ Church University Stone Age for KS2 - www.canterbury.ac.uk/arts-and-humanities/school-of-humanities/ archaeology/stone-age-for-ks2.aspx
Ancient Craft Three Age Experience - www.ancientcraft.co.uk
Schools Prehistory and Archaeology - www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk
Young Archaeologists’ Club - www.yac-uk.org
Local loans boxes are also available from the Museum, Surrey Archaeological Society and Surrey County Archaeological Unit
Want to learn about Find out more about Farnham’s unique past
The Museum of Farnham is an accredited and award-winning museum situated within the Georgian Grade I-listed Willmer House. Within its local studies library and stores it holds the largest collection of archives from the area, and it runs temporary exhibitions and events throughout the year, including the regular lecture series organised by the Museum Society.
www.farnhammaltings.com/museum
Much of what we know about Farnham’s early past comes from the work of local archaeologists in the Surrey Archaeological Society, who run fieldwork and heritage outreach projects in the Farnham area, including the community dig Finding Farnham.
www.surreyarchaeology.org.uk
Other links Farnham & District Museum Society - www.farnhammuseumsociety.org.uk
The Farnham Society - farnhamsociety.org.uk Surrey History Centre - www.surreycc.gov.uk/culture-and-leisure/history-centre
Surrey Heritage (Exploring Surrey’s Past) - www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk
Wrecclesham History project - wreccleshamhistory.wordpress.com
Hale History project - www.halehistoryproject.co.uk Rural Life Centre - rural-life.org.uk
Butser Ancient Farm - www.butserancientfarm.co.uk
Guildford Museum - guildford.gov.uk/museum Curtis & Aldershot Military Museum - www.hampshireculture.org.uk
Artwork by Victor Ambrus
Flint-knapping
Farnham’s history as a craft town can be argued to extend back as far as the Stone Age, as the technologically advanced art of flint-knapping is prominent in the area.
Flint-knapping is a complicated process which involves carefully controlled fracturing of stone – usually flint – by striking an impact point and sending energy waves/ripples throughout. By using different hammers, edge angles, strike power and speed, an experienced knapper can control how and where flakes detach from the core of the stone.
The aim is of course to produce lithics – tools made from raw stone material – which can be divided into three basic form types: debitage (the usually small waste flakes and chips produced from knapping), cores (what is shaped by gradual reduction through flakes, etc being knapped off), and of course tools (whether arrowheads, scrapers, burins, knives, axeheads or other various types).
The flint – silicon dioxide (SiO2) – has a fine crystalline grain with a glassy character, making it ideal for knapping. Stones of different geological types are local to different regions in Britain, and it is possible to tell when certain lithic tools were made from stone which was imported (usually making it a clearly valuable and prized item).
Advances in lithic technology can reveal many things about how the brains of prehistoric people developed as the envi-ronment changed around them, resulting in different chal-lenges which required different solutions. The evidence of this change can be seen in how tools evolved from – for instance – crude pebble choppers to intricate knives.
Hidden Heritage
A local archaeological & heritage
guide to Farnham’s buried past
Farnham & District Museum Society
Surrey Archaeological Society
For more information, images and pdfs of leaflets visit www.farnham.gov.uk/hiddenheritage
Published by Farnham Town Council
and devised and designed by Anne Sassin © 2019
farnhamofficial
Silbury Hill, Wilts, c. 2470-2350 BC
Layout a timeline (to scale!) of the prehistoric period up to the modern day
Activity ideas:
450,000 - 2,500 BC
The Stone Age was a considerably broad period, divided into the Palaeo-(‘Old’), Meso-(‘Middle) and Neo-(‘New’) eras.
The Old Stone Age (Palaeolithic) in Britain begins with the appearance of the first humans and ends with the retreat of the glaciers during the last Ice Age. During this vast period, both Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens emerged and undertook hunting and scavenging for their subsistence. Our main evidence of this era are the stone tools left behind, as well as occasional cave art as in Creswell Crags, Derbyshire.
The Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic) is characterized by nomadic groups whose open tundra landscape shifted to covered woodland as a result of climatic warming and rising sea levels, which eventually led to the separation of Britain from the continent around 6,500 BC. The small groups of hunter-gatherers lived off what they could find or hunt seasonally, with their flint tools and waste flakes indications of their movement from site to site.
The Neolithic is regarded as the point when farming was introduced, although the earliest agricultural economy was a mix of pastoralism, horticulture, hunting and gathering. The need to look after crops and livestock meant that more permanent settlement was needed, and with fire and new tool types such as polished axes, larger areas of forest were cleared. The period also saw the introduction of pottery and large ceremonial monuments, such as the long barrow atnearby Badshot Lea.
PALAEOLITHIC MESOLITHIC NEOLITHIC Lower Palaeolithic Middle Palaeolithic Upper Palaeolithic
Hunter-gatherer communities Mobile farming communities 8300 BC 35000 BC 200,000 BC 4300 BC 2000 BC
Proper angle for striking ‘platform’ edge to strike, and resulting flake © James Dilley
The Stone Age
Timeline
130,000,000 BC - Baronyx (the ‘Surrey Dinosaur’, so- named from a skeleton near Ockley) was the top predator in warm swampy southern England
800,000 BC - Humans (Homo antecessor) probably first arrive in Britain
700,000 BC - Earliest stone tools found in Suffolk
450,000 BC - Appearance of new species (Homo heidelbergensis) at Boxgrove, West Sussex
120,000 BC - Neanderthal people
30,000 BC - Cave art begins; Homo sapiens emerge
20,000 BC - Peak of the last Ice Age
10,000 BC - Earliest house in Britain at Star Carr, Yorks. and open air sites such as Hengistbury Head, Dorset
9000 BC - Temporary hunter camp in tundra landscapes as at Church Lammas, Staines
6500 BC - Britain separated from the continent
4500 BC - Farming and pottery introduced to Britain
4000-3300 BC - Construction of earliest earthworks such as early enclosures and burial chambers
3300-2900 BC - Cursus monuments, chamber tombs and stone circles begin
2900-2200 BC - Beginning of henges and flint mining; Stonehenge, Silbury Hill and Staines/Heathrow complex of ceremonial monuments at their peak
2700 BC - Tools and weapons made from cooper
2200 BC - Beginning of Bronze Age
Some further sources
Darvil, T. (2010) Prehistoric Britain (Routledge World Archaeology)
Hunt, R. (2002) Hidden Depths: an archaeological exploration of Surrey’s Past
Oakley, K.P. et al. (1939) A Survey of the Prehistory of the Farnham District
Pollard, J. ed. (2008) Prehistoric Britain (Blackwell Studies in World Archaeology)
Timms, P. (1980) Flint Implements of the Old Stone Age (Shire Archaeology)
Historic England publications (many intro guides as online PDFs) - historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/
Lithics Assemblages: a guide to processing, analysis and interpretation Bajr Guide 49 (2017) - www.bajr.org/BAJRGuides/49_Lithics/49_Lithics_guide.pdf
Surrey Prehistoric Group - www.surreyarchaeology.org.uk/groups/prehistory
(includes lithics reports and fact sheet)
© Shire Archaeology
Len
gth
3.5
km
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ura
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pp
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ells
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ow
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nai
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ark F
ield
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F R
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pit
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arnh
am
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ald
2
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2
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m
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san
dpit
d
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ver
ed in
ear
ly 2
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oto
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rah
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ala
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om
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e F
arn
ham
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er
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aces
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400,0
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m
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nh
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ravel
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ford
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um
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ne A
ge
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rnh
am
450,000 - 2,500 BC A
sim
ilar
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he
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on
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ad p
it s
outh
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est
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ated
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ge.
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6
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r knif
e fr
om
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ourn
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ood
s ©
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um
of
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nh
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5
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d-a
xe
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m S
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race
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and
im
age
of
pit
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vat
ed
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win
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fied
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avel
and
san
d
© M
use
um
of
Far
nh
am; P
ho
to
by
H B
ury
5
7
M
eso
lith
ic p
it-d
well
ing
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Wit
h t
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mer
en
vir
on
men
t o
f th
e M
eso
lith
ic c
ame
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so
urc
es o
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od
– w
ild b
ird
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oar
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eer
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h –
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sult
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ch
ange
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igra
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g h
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tin
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ath
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esty
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1937 E
xcav
atio
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eso
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ic ‘h
ut
dw
ellin
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at B
ourn
e M
ill S
pri
ng
(Ph
oto
by
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Bo
relli
)
9
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ctio
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olit
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ts –
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e, s
crap
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bla
des
an
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ple
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ts –
fr
om
the
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aces
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ho
to b
y D
Gra
ham
)
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alle
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ore
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elo
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wer
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ed f
or
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un
tin
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clud
ing
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po
site
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ts k
no
wn
as
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rolit
hs
– a
nd
axes
, p
icks
and
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des
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all si
zes
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rod
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vid
ing
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n e
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hav
e fo
r th
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r w
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sual
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rary
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ps
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en in
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rm o
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int
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ters
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e co
res
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m
wh
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th
e fl
akes
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e kn
app
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ngi
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m t
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ley
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ey L
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est
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art
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ch a
s M
oo
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ark, Sh
eep
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ch a
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on
ks’
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nsi
ve
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pit
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tes
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t B
ourn
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ill Sp
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orm
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e w
ork
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its
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ne
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nta
ined
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lints
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10
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e F
arn
ham
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race
s – w
hic
h w
ere
hea
vily
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ried
in
th
e la
te 1
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an
d e
arly
20th
c.
–
are
the
relic
s o
f fo
rmer
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odp
lain
s o
f th
e R
iver
Wey
.
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dd
itio
n t
o m
amm
al r
emai
ns,
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rrac
es a
lso
pro
duce
d s
om
e o
f th
e b
est
exam
ple
s o
f P
alae
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hic
han
d-a
xes
an
d f
lakes
in
Surr
ey,
man
y o
f w
hic
h w
ere
dis
cover
ed b
y W
F R
ankin
e an
d f
orm
ed a
su
bst
anti
al c
olle
ctio
n n
ow
hel
d a
t th
e M
use
um
.
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d a
xes
wer
e th
e ea
rlie
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oo
ls t
o b
e use
d b
y h
um
ans
– w
ith
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arn
ham
’s e
xam
ple
s am
on
gst
the
earl
iest
an
d b
est
kn
ow
n –
an
d
wo
uld
hav
e h
ad m
ult
iple
fun
ctio
ns,
in
clud
ing f
or
skin
nin
g an
d
butc
her
ing
the
carc
asse
s o
f Ic
e A
ge m
amm
als.
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dual
ly t
he
tech
niq
ues
fo
r to
ol-
mak
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re
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his
tica
ted
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d –
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ngs
ide
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s su
ch a
s d
iggi
ng,
ch
op
pin
g an
d
saw
ing
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lints
wit
h s
pec
ific
fun
ctio
ns,
such
as
kn
ives
or
scra
per
s,
wer
e p
rod
uce
d a
s w
ell.
4
Pal
aeo
lith
s fr
om
lo
cal te
rrac
es, in
clud
ing
an A
cheu
lian
han
dax
e (r
ight
) fr
om
‘P
aine’
s P
it’,
Wre
ccle
sham
© M
use
um
of
Far
nh
am
7
Sec
tion
of
the
five
P
alae
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hic
ter
race
s o
f th
e D
istr
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th
e ea
rlie
st
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t o
f w
hic
h (
A)
stre
tch
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s fa
r aw
ay a
s A
lice
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lt (
A S
urve
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e P
rehi
stor
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the
Far
n-ha
m D
istr
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ased
on
D
ines
an
d E
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und
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6
9
17
Neo
lithic
po
lish
ed a
xes
and
ar
row
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d (
Ph
oto
b
y D
Gra
ham
)
11
11 Sto
ne
pilla
r m
arkin
g th
e B
ourn
e M
ill si
te
(Ph
oto
by
C
Sh
eph
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)
10
12
Neo
lithic
lea
f ar
row
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d,
fro
m Y
ew T
ree
Co
ttag
e,
Wre
ccle
sham
(P
ho
to b
y D
G
rah
am)
Neo
lith
ic f
lin
two
rk
Th
e N
eolit
hic
is
mar
ked
by
foo
d
pro
duct
ion
– b
oth
th
rough
agri
cult
ure
an
d t
he
do
mes
tica
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n o
f an
imal
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nd
flin
t ty
pes
such
as
po
lish
ed a
xes
an
d lea
f-sh
aped
kn
ives
an
d a
rro
w-h
ead
s ar
e ch
arac
teri
stic
of
the
per
iod
.
15 A
ssym
etri
c tr
ansv
erse
ar
row
hea
d (
c 3500
BC
) fr
om
P
utt
enh
am C
om
mo
n
(Dra
win
g b
y A
Gra
ham
)
B
ad
sho
t L
ea N
eo
lith
ic l
on
g b
arr
ow
Duri
ng
chal
k-q
uar
ryin
g in
th
e 1930s
at B
adsh
ot
Far
m, W
F R
ankin
e o
bse
rved
th
e se
ctio
n o
f a
dit
ch in
th
e ch
alk-f
ace
and
– o
n c
lose
r ex
amin
atio
n –
lea
f-sh
aped
arr
ow
hea
ds,
res
ult
ing
in t
he
exca
vat
ion
of
the
on
ly k
no
wn
lo
ng
bar
row
in
Surr
ey.
At
abo
ut
42 m
etre
s in
len
gth
, th
e b
arro
w w
ould
hav
e
ori
gin
ally
bee
n a
ch
amb
er –
pro
bab
ly f
or
buri
al –
co
ver
ed
by
an e
arth
en m
oun
d, th
ough
was
mo
st w
as a
lrea
dy
quar
ried
aw
ay w
hen
it
was
fir
st d
isco
ver
ed.
Po
tter
y al
so b
egin
s to
ap
pea
r at
th
is t
ime,
an
d t
he
Neo
lith
ic
urn
s fo
un
d a
t B
adsh
ot
Lea
are
ex
cep
tio
nal
in
th
eir
orn
amen
t.
18 E
ast
end
of
the
south
ern
bar
row
dit
ch
and
sit
e duri
ng
exca
vat
ion
s (P
ho
tos
by
A K
eille
r)
18
16
Pla
no
-co
nve
x kn
ife
of
pro
bab
le lat
e N
eolit
hic
dat
e fo
un
d
in 1
935
fro
m B
urn
t H
ill,
the
Bo
urn
e (D
raw
ing
A G
rah
am) 13
N
eolit
hic
mau
l fr
om
Six
B
ells
© S
urr
ey A
rch
aeo
logi
cal
So
ciet
y (S
yAS)
13
12
15
16
17
1
2
4
5
6
12
14
16
18
21
Ass
ort
men
t o
f fi
nd
s fr
om
bar
row
, in
cludin
g le
af a
rro
whea
ds,
po
lish
ed
axe,
an
d b
one
and
antl
er
fro
m d
om
esti
cate
d s
pec
ies
– s
uch
as
ox
and
pig
–
and
hun
ted g
ame
© S
yAS
19 W
est
Ken
net
Lon
g B
arro
w, W
iltsh
ire
20
Rim
fra
gmen
ts w
ith
orn
amen
t
incl
ud
ing
bir
d-b
on
e im
pre
ssio
ns
and
flin
t-in
cise
d c
riss
-cro
ssin
g (t
op),
and
larg
e re
store
d v
esse
l in
tw
iste
d c
ord
im
pre
ssio
ns,
fin
ger-
nai
l in
cisi
on
s an
d
fin
ger-
pin
chin
g (b
otto
m)
© S
yAS
19
18
20
20
21
21
W
F R
an
kin
e (
1879-
1981)
Willia
m F
ran
cis
Ran
kin
e w
as b
orn
in
Do
rkin
g an
d m
oved
to
Far
nh
am a
s a
child
, w
her
e h
e b
ecam
e h
ead
mas
ter
of
Bad
sho
t L
ea S
cho
ol an
d e
nga
ged
in
mo
st o
f th
e
pre
his
tori
c ar
chae
olo
gy o
f th
e re
gio
n, al
on
gsid
e h
is w
ife
Win
ifre
d –
dau
ghte
r o
f th
e je
wel
ler/
clo
ck-m
aker
Ch
arle
s B
ore
lli –
wh
o a
cco
mp
anie
d h
im o
n m
ost
dig
s.
Ran
kin
e’s
mai
n p
assi
on
was
th
e M
eso
lith
ic/
Neo
lith
ic,
and
he
was
extr
emel
y vo
cal in
th
e n
eed
fo
r a
muse
um
in
Far
nh
am, w
her
e h
is c
olle
ctio
n –
on
e o
f th
e m
ost
imp
ort
ant
of
its
typ
e – is
no
w s
tore
d.
8
Ran
kin
e (i
n h
at)
wit
h s
tuden
ts a
t M
esolith
ic s
ite
in O
akh
ange
r (©
Muse
um
of
Far
nh
am)
8
8
14
Quar
tzit
e m
ace-
hea
d, G
reen
L
ane
© S
yAS, W
F R
ankin
e
14
13
21
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