Monument record MDO48 - Flint-knapping site, Abbotsbury

A small flint-knapping site was discovered on the edge of Chesil Beach at Abbotsbury in August 1962. A total of 258 artefacts came from an area of approximately 10ft by 5ft. The assemblage has now been carefully studied, and it is realised that the site was a workfloor for the production of flint tools for making Kimmeridge shale objects. As no pieces of shale were discovered it is assumed the actual shale working site was elsewhere in the neighbourhood. It is difficult to date the site as little is yet known of the development of tools for working shale but the evidence assembled by Calkin so far is in favour of a Roman date for lathe-tools of this specialised type. <1>

<1> Palmer, Susann, 1967, A Flint-Knapping Site at Abbotsbury, p121-123 (Article in serial). SWX1706.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1968, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1967, 121-123 (Serial). SDO67.

<1.1> Calkin J B, 1948, Isle of Purbeck in the Iron Age, p38 (Article in serial). SWX1705.

<1.2> Calkin, J B, 1953, Kimmeridge Coal Money The Romano-British Shale Armlet Industry, p60-64 (Article in serial). SWX1210.

<2> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Structure 12 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450582 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 27 2023 9:19AM