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Recent Work at the Lower Palaeolithic Site of Corfe Mullen, Dorset, England

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2013

John McNabb ,
Robert Hosfield ,
Kevin Dearling ,
Dominic Barker ,
Kristian Strutt ,
James Cole ,
Martin Bates  and
Phillip Toms
John McNabb
Affiliation:
Dept of Archaeology, University of Southampton, Avenue Campus, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BF
Robert Hosfield
Affiliation:
Dept. of Archaeology, School of Human & Environmental Science, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 227, Reading RG6 6AB
Kevin Dearling
Affiliation:
Dept of Archaeology, University of Southampton, Avenue Campus, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BF
Dominic Barker
Affiliation:
Dept of Archaeology, University of Southampton, Avenue Campus, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BF
Kristian Strutt
Affiliation:
Dept of Archaeology, University of Southampton, Avenue Campus, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BF
James Cole
Affiliation:
Dept of Archaeology, University of Southampton, Avenue Campus, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BF
Martin Bates
Affiliation:
School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales Trinity, Saint David, Lampeter Campus, Ceredigion SA48 7ED
Phillip Toms
Affiliation:
Dept. of Natural and Social Sciences, University of Gloucestershire, Francis Close Hall Campus, Swindon Rd, Cheltenham, GL50 4H2
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Abstract

Changes in the geological interpretation of the history of the ancient Solent river basin have focused attention on the handaxes discovered in the Corfe Mullen area during quarrying before the Second World War. Recent geological research suggests that the fluvial terrace the handaxes are associated with may pre-date the Anglian glaciation. This is important because it contributes to the question of just when the Solent basin was first occupied by hominins, and how this relates to other areas of possible contemporary pre-Anglian occupation such as the Boxgrove Marine embayment. However, the artefacts were believed to come from the bluff of the river terrace and were thus not in situ. This paper explores that question and re-examines the context from which the handaxes at Corfe Mullen were discovered.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 78 , 2012 , pp. 35 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 2012

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References

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