Some of the largest early prehistoric stone tools in Britain have been discovered by researchers at the UCL Institute of Archaeology.
The excavations, which took place in Kent and were commissioned in advance of the development of the Maritime Academy School in Frindsbury, revealed prehistoric artifacts in deep Ice Age sediments preserved on a hillside above the Medway Valley.
As many as 800 stone artifacts thought to be over 300,000 years old, were found buried in sediments that filled a sinkhole and ancient river channel, outlined in their research, published in Internet Archaeology.
Among the unearthed artifacts 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. Researchers 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 site have a distinctive shape with a long and finely worked pointed tip, and a much thicker base.
