Archaeologists have found several handaxes — two of which can be classed as ‘giant handaxes’ — at the Maritime Academy site in Frindsbury, Kent, England. These stone tools may have had a specialized function in early human society, or relate to specific human groups, or even human species, expressing distinctive cultural identities during a defined period of the Pleistocene.
Letty Ingrey and her colleagues from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London, the University of Wales and Wessex Archaeology unearthed an assemblage of 800 Acheulean stone tools.
The artifacts, which are at least 300,000 years old, were preserved in sediments that filled a sinkhole and ancient river channel.
Amongst the unearthed objects were two extremely large flint knives described as giant handaxes.
“Handaxes are stone artifacts which have been chipped, or knapped, on both sides to produce a symmetrical shape with a long cutting edge,” the archaeologists said.
“We believe this type of tool was usually held in the hand and may have been used for butchering animals and cutting meat.”
The two largest handaxes found at the Maritime Academy site have a distinctive shape with a long and finely worked pointed tip, and a much thicker base.
“We describe these tools as ‘giants’ when they are over 22 cm long and we have two in this size range,” Ingrey said.
“The biggest, a colossal 29.5-cm in length, is one of the longest ever found in Britain.”
“Giant handaxes like this are usually found in the Thames and Medway regions and date from over 300,000 years ago.”
“These handaxes are so big it’s difficult to imagine how they could have been easily held and used.”
“Perhaps they fulfilled a less practical or more symbolic function than other tools, a clear demonstration of strength and skill.”
“While right now, we aren’t sure why such large tools were being made, or which species of early human were making them, this site offers a chance…
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