Palaeolithic hand axe, Dell Road Area, Grays (EHER 1698)

A Palaeolithic hand axe was found in 1970 at the bottom of a chalk quarry, in the Dell Road area, and had presumably fallen from overlying gravel.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import from two NRHE records. Palaeolithic hand axe found in 1970 at the bottom of a Chalk quarry, in the Dell Road area. <1> <2> <3> In Thurrock Museum. <4> Well made, cordate hand-axe found at bottom of chalk quarry north of the town at TQ 616786 (so presumably the same find), "presumably fallen from overlying deposit". Fresh condition-this, with typology, "suggests it may have come from a relatively late superficial sediment, or the sub-soil". <5> The object was found in an area of Orsett Heath Gravel geology. Desk based study as part of the ASLF project by F. Wenban-Smith concluded that finds were of Lower/Middle Palaeolithic age and that the handaxe is likely to be Acheulian. Depositional history: Local colluvial/solifluction. Fresh condition well-made plano-convex cordate-??bout-coupe- found at N end quarry, possibly derived from sediments at top of north quarry face. ASLF quarry number EX 468. <6> Additional references <7> <8>