The purpose of this paper is to describe and figure eight palæolithic flint implements discovered in the Cannon-shot gravel of Norfolk. The specimens were found during researches carried out under a grant from the Percy Sladen Trustees, to whom I am much indebted for their help. I have also to acknowledge the assistance given me by Mr. G. Maynard and Mr. J. E. Sainty, who have been intimately associated with my investigations.

The Cannon-shot gravel derives its name from its contained rounded and battered flint pebbles, symmetrically shaped like the cannon-balls in use at the time when Wood and Harmer first examined it. This gravel is well-known to geologists, and extends over large areas in Norfolk. It often occupies high ground, and can be examined in the cliff sections along the north-east coast of this county, and also in many inland pits. The gravel, wnich contains an appreciable number of foreign rocks, usually presents little evidence of stratification, though horizontal and thin layers of sand and loam are to be observed in its mass. The contained stones often rest in a vertical or inclined position in the gravel, a fact which makes it difficult to believe that water-action of the normal kind was responsible for the laying down of the deposit.

In Prof. Fairfield Osborn's address on “The Discovery of Tertiary Man” (Nature, Jan. 11th, p. 55), it is stated, in regard to the discoveries I have made in East Anglia, that Prof. Breuil “shifts the entire pre-Chellean and Chellean flint industries from mid-Quaternary down to the base of Quaternary time, namely, into the first Interglacial or Mindel-Riss stage.” The first inter-glacial is, however, that of the Günz-Mindel—according to the Penckian scheme—and it is to this phase—represented in East Anglia by the Cromer Forest Bed—that Breuil now relegates the Chellean industry. Prof. Osborn had no doubt in mind Breuil's recently published list of his scientific papers when writing the address referred to, as in thıs list the impression is given, no doubt unintentionally, that the author was the first to refer the Chellean implements to the first inter-glacial epoch. This impression is, however, incorrect, as no less than ten years ago, in 1920, I published a note in the Geological Magazine (vol. 57, No. 671; May, 1920, pp. 221–224), in which, with much detail, I set forth my views on the relationship of palæolithic man to the glacial period, and stated (p. 223) that “The Chellean implements may therefore be of Günz-Mindel inter-glacial age.” When I made this announcement, to which I have adhered with ever-increasing conviction, few, if any, archæologists agreed with my opinion, and it was only after several visits of Prof. Breuil to East Anglia that he was convinced of its truth.

During the autumn of 1927, Mr. S. Williams, of Murston, observed palæolithic implements in a gravelly deposit underlying the brickearth in the pit which lies west of Haywood Farm, Bapchild. He kept a watch on the site, and, shortly after his first finds had been made, a small quarry was sunk in the bottom of the brickpit. This exposed the sub-brickearth deposits in section, and here Mr. Williams, assisted by Mr. T. Revel and other keen workers, carried out excavations, by permission of the owners of the property, Messrs. Smeed, Dean & Co., Ltd. Their labours were rewarded by a haul of more than four hundred artifacts, of Le Moustier type.

The brickearth dug at Bapchild is placed in a wash-mill and converted to slurry, in which state it is pumped to the brickworks. The wash-mill is periodically cleaned out, and from the accumulation of stones that, at such times, is removed from the mill, a number of flakes of post-Le Moustier form have been found. These obviously came from the brickearth, but none had hitherto been found in situ. Towards the end of 1928 Mr. Williams was joined in his work of implement hunting by Mr. E. A. Mount, of Sittingbourne, whom he advised to give special attention to the brickearth in an endeavour to discover the source of the flakes that had been found in the wash-mill.

Excavations on behalf of the Research Committee for the Archæological Excavation of Derbyshire Caves (British Association and Royal Anthropological Institute) were commenced by the writer in the Pin Hole Cave, Creswell Crags, in September, 1924, at a point 23 feet from the entrance, where the superficial examination of the upper beds by the Rev. Magins Mello had terminated in 1873. The work has steadily progressed, and has now reached 80 feet beyond the datum point, and is proceeding in the large inner chamber which has been revealed by the removal of the deposits which, over half its area, had accumulated to the level of the roof. The section embraces an upper cave-earth from 6 to 7 feet in thickness, mostly sealed beneath stalagmite, or breccia, and containing artifacts ranging in time from Upper Mousterian at its base to Magdalenian at the top. The lower cave-earth, 10 to 11 feet in thickness, contains three lower Palæolithic cultural zones, the lowest of which is 13 feet beneath the floor of the cave.

In the present state of our knowledge of the Neolithic period in England, and especially as regards its pottery, any light that can be thrown upon it is welcome, and it is on that account that I have brought before the Society a report on two discoveries of Neolithic remains: at Pangbourne, Berks., and Caversham, Oxon.

It is greatly to be regretted that owing to the circumstances of the discovery accurate observations could not be made. In May, 1928, workmen were engaged in levelling ground to make a tennis court, at “Farmhili,” Courtlands Hill, Pangbourne, and in doing so came upon, and, as is unhappily so often the case, disturbed and partly smashed a human skeleton, other animal bones, of which a few only survive, and a large bowl of coarse pottery, definitely of Neolithic type. It would seem that when found the bowl was imore or less complete, but Mr. G. W. Smith, of Reading, who visited the spot the day after the discovery, was only able to find about two-thirds of the vessel, in fragments, on the rubbish heaps of excavated material. These fragments, together with the other remains, were presented by the owner of the land, Lt.-Com. W. S. Macilwaine, R.N., to the Reading Museum, where the writer had the opportunity of examining them.

Before studying the significance of the series of implements generally known as ‘discoidal polished flint knives,’ I should like first to acknowledge printed sources of informatıon, and secondly, assistance rendered by correspondents and curators of various collections. Many years ago Sir John Evans recognised the type and described and figured several examples in his ‘Ancient Stone Implements of Great Britain,’ and later, in Volume XLIV., pages 97–100 of the Wiltshire Archæological Magazine, Dr. R. C. C. Clay collected some sixty odd records, which he classified according to their shape. The excuse for this paper is that it is an attempt to extract from as wide data as possible the significance of the forms and distribution of the type as a whole. In accumulating the necessary evidence I have received especial help from Mr. Burkitt, who has enabled me to handle the fine series in the Museum at Cambridge; from Mr. Leeds, who gave me access to the specimens of the Evans Collection now in the Ashmolean; from the Curators of London, Norwich and Ipswich Museums, who sent me interesting records; from Mr. Graham Callander, who not only checked my list for Scotland, but who also contributed new records and helpful suggestions. In addition, several private collectors have kindly let me have records of their specimens, and, in many cases, illustrations.