Lot 24
Western Europe, England, Coastal Norfolk, Runton, former Bytham River, Lower Paleolithic, ca. 950,000 to 450,000 years ago. This large pebble chopper axe was crafted from a naturally flat, large flint cobble. Ingeniously, the grip and flaking were oriented to utilize a naturally rough spot for a thumb grip. Opposing strikes on the same edge created an initial split of the cobble and then sharpened a chisel chopping edge. The patina and layers of stone are gorgeous, with much of the original pebble outer cortex remaining, providing a naturally ergonomic grip. No artifact could be more important or impressive than the first stone tools of primitive humans! Th tool, fashioned by Homo antecessor over half a million years ago, was found in the former Bytham River, a major Pleistocene habitat, near the famous Happisburgh footprints. Acquired from a collection of regional tools, this example is the largest and most striking! Size: 4.7" L x 3.25" W (11.9 cm x 8.3 cm).
The Bytham River was a major river system in Pleistocene Britain, flowing from the English Midlands to the North Sea. It was important to early humans as it provided a rich, habitable environment with abundant resources, including water, flora, and fauna. Archaeological evidence suggests that early humans settled along its banks, utilizing the resources and favorable conditions for survival and tool-making. The river's course was later destroyed by the advancing ice sheets of the Anglian Glaciation around 450,000 years ago. Evidence of prehistoric human occupation in the area includes the Happisburgh footprints, fossilized hominid footprints dating to over 800,000 years ago, discovered in May 2013 in the Cromer Forest Bed on a beach in Happisburgh, Norfolk, England. These footprints, the oldest known outside Africa, were in recently uncovered sediment, and photographed in 3D before being destroyed by the tide. This region, also home to the discovery of a 600,000-year-old Steppe Mammoth skeleton in West Runton, the oldest and most complete mammoth specimen found in the UK, further underscores its significance. This stone tool connects to this rich prehistoric context, highlighting early human adaptation and tool-making in the region that may have been used to butcher and skin mammoths or other Ice Age mammals.
Please note that this piece is a dropship item, meaning that it will be shipping from the consignor's location. All information regarding condition, size, stone identification, and metal content have been provided by the consignor.
Provenance: private California, USA collection; ex-private Dutch collection, formed in the early 1980s; ex-private French collection
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#187931
- Condition: Intact with no repairs or restoration. Mineral deposits intact. Overall excellent with nice coloration.
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