British Paleolithic Large Flint Core, Twydall, Kent
Western Europe, Britain, England, Paleolithic, ca. 500,000–10,000 BCE. A large flint core from which a series of flakes has been struck. Wide, shallow removal scars cross the face in overlapping waves, and a band of chalky cortex still covers one flank, showing the outer skin of the original nodule. The worked surfaces have a milky gray and bluish patina with warm honey-tan areas, and the faint ripples of each conchoidal fracture are still visible where the light falls. A core like this was the source of the stone. The knapper chose striking platforms and took off flakes one after another, using them as blanks for cutting, scraping, and other tasks. The order of the scars shows the decisions the knapper made, one strike at a time. Size: 5" L x 4.75" W x 3" D (12.7 cm L x 12.1 cm W x 7.6 cm D).
Flint from the Upper Chalk of southeast England was among the best stone available to early toolmakers in northern Europe. Its fine, even texture breaks predictably, so a skilled hand could control the size and shape of each flake. The Medway valley and nearby Thames gravels of north Kent are among the most productive Paleolithic landscapes in Britain. Their river terraces have yielded large numbers of cores, flakes, and handaxes, many of them collected by local antiquarians in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Provenance: private Washington, D.C., USA collection, acquired in February 2023 via Time Line Auctions, Essex, UK; ex-Martin Schoyen collection, London, United Kingdom; ex-specialist collection of J. Edwin Jarvis; ex-Rochester Museum, Kent collections, UK; ex-Richard Jones collection, Welling, Kent, UK; found in Twydall, Kent, UK
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #205708
Condition
Some chips and nicks not from the knapping process. Otherwise, very nice. Old inventory number "1779 Twydall" inscribed on one side.
Estimate
Reserve
Time, Location
Auction House
Western Europe, Britain, England, Paleolithic, ca. 500,000–10,000 BCE. A large flint core from which a series of flakes has been struck. Wide, shallow removal scars cross the face in overlapping waves, and a band of chalky cortex still covers one flank, showing the outer skin of the original nodule. The worked surfaces have a milky gray and bluish patina with warm honey-tan areas, and the faint ripples of each conchoidal fracture are still visible where the light falls. A core like this was the source of the stone. The knapper chose striking platforms and took off flakes one after another, using them as blanks for cutting, scraping, and other tasks. The order of the scars shows the decisions the knapper made, one strike at a time. Size: 5" L x 4.75" W x 3" D (12.7 cm L x 12.1 cm W x 7.6 cm D).
Flint from the Upper Chalk of southeast England was among the best stone available to early toolmakers in northern Europe. Its fine, even texture breaks predictably, so a skilled hand could control the size and shape of each flake. The Medway valley and nearby Thames gravels of north Kent are among the most productive Paleolithic landscapes in Britain. Their river terraces have yielded large numbers of cores, flakes, and handaxes, many of them collected by local antiquarians in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Provenance: private Washington, D.C., USA collection, acquired in February 2023 via Time Line Auctions, Essex, UK; ex-Martin Schoyen collection, London, United Kingdom; ex-specialist collection of J. Edwin Jarvis; ex-Rochester Museum, Kent collections, UK; ex-Richard Jones collection, Welling, Kent, UK; found in Twydall, Kent, UK
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #205708
Condition
Some chips and nicks not from the knapping process. Otherwise, very nice. Old inventory number "1779 Twydall" inscribed on one side.
Estimate
Reserve
Time, Location
Auction House
