French Stone Age Triangular Mousterian Knapped Flint Handaxe

Biconvex in section with broad butt and point; inked findspot 'Crickers Heath Farm Dunsfold'. 223 grams, 13.8 cm



Found during the original official excavations in the Farnham area, Surrey, UK, which were conducted by Harold Faulker (1875-1963), and William Francis Rankine (c.1877-1962), who were instrumental with the excavation works and pit dwellings at sites including Six Bells, Frensham, Tilford, Thursley and Bagshot, and Waverley, amongst others at and near Farnham in the 1930s and 1940s. Much of the material is now in the prestigious Farnham museum. The present part of the collection having been gifted to their good friend and Haselmere Parish Priest, Charles Borelli (c.1914-2000) of Farnham; who was part of the Borelli family from Italy who emigrated from Lake Como in 1828 to set up the Borelli family watch and jewellery business; thence by family descent to his nephew.

Farnham district is one of the most interesting prehistoric regions in England, and has been visited by a succession of prehistoric peoples from Palaeolithic times onwards. Along the southern slope of the Farnham valley are three gravel terraces, which are famous prehistorically and have yielded large quantities of flint implements and bones of prehistoric animals, notably the mammoth. In prehistoric times, the chalk deposits played an important role in attracting settlers, as they contained rich layers of flint nodules used to make implements. The Farnham Gravels have been an abundant source of Palaeolithic finds, most prominent being hand axes. The axes differ in type, and each type is associated with a cultural phase of the Palaeolithic period. Types similar to these are found in similar deposits in the Somme valley and in many English valley gravels. Flint mining was also carried out by the Neolithic folk. Polished axes and leaf forms, arrowheads and knives, or possibly lance heads, are characteristic of the Neolithic flint work.

Piriform in plan and lentoid in section with broad cutting edge. 89.4 grams, 81 mm



Found in the vicinity of High Beech and Loughton Camp, Essex, UK. From the collection of a Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, gentleman. Accompanied by an original letter from Epping Forest District Museum collections manager dated 7th September 1991, stating that the find was 'most interesting, since the find spot was in the vicinity of both High Beech and Loughton Camp'.

Extremely large example of a chopping tool, likely made by Homo heidelbergensis; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 1.54 kg, 21.1 cm



From the well-regarded, long-closed quarry site of St Meme, Charente, France. From an old, large French collection. Acquired on the European art market. From a UK private collection.

Smaller handaxes continued as components of Middle Palaeolithic industries (Acheulian and Mousterian) associated with the Neanderthal and Homo sapiens. These rather crude handaxes probably reflect the coarser nature of the stone.