TVAS Reading: Palaeolithic Flint Tools Found near Henley-on-Thames

Recent and ongoing fieldwork undertaken by TVAS has revealed rare evidence of some of the earliest ancient humans in Britain.

Evaluation trenching & test pitting near Henley-on-Thames has produced flint artefacts dating to around 500,000 years old, during the lower Palaeolithic period.

The species of human present in England half a million years ago is thought to be Homo Heidelbergensis – potentially the last common ancestor of Homo Sapiens & Homo Neanderthalensis.

The site is located near to Highlands Farm, a scheduled ancient monument where many lower Palaeolithic tools were found. It lies along a 500,000 year old floodplain, and it is from the gravels deposited by the river in the floodplain that the stone tools have been found.

We were joined during part of this project by staff & students from the University of Reading, and would like to thank them for their insight and their assistance in processing thousands of litres of gravel in search of lithic artefacts!

Below are various photos of the flints found.