II. The Flint Implements and Flakes

Extract

The flints from the Thatcham site must be divided for purposes of description into two large classes—(1) those which were found under the compact layer of peaty soil or under the shell-malm, (2) those which were found elsewhere on the site. Strictly speaking, only those belonging to class (1) can be proved to belong to a single period, since they alone were sealed up under an undisturbed, naturally formed deposit. But there can be no doubt whatever that all the worked flints found on the site in whatever position, are contemporary; I shall therefore describe the far more numerous objects in class (2) first. Before doing so two important pieces of negative evidence must be recorded. Not a single fragment of ground or polished stone was found. Not a single piece of pottery was found under the peat or the shell-malm; nor was any but Roman pottery found elsewhere on the site. There can therefore be no doubt that the Roman pottery is entirely unconnected with the flint implements.