New Chichester Biface

The project was recently called in to investigate the discovery of a Palaeolithic biface from a garden in NW Chichester. The location of the tool was close to Brandy Hole Lane where a fresh, grey patinated biafce was discivered last century. The new find is in a similar condition being composed of unabraided, fresh grey flint. It came from a stony clay subsoil containing a mix of gravel from Head, River Lavant and Beach deposits. More work is now needed to establish if the beach gravels are of Aldingbourne or Brighton-Norton age.



The tool itself cannot be securely dated and there is of course always the possilbity that it represents a later Neolithic axe rough-out. However, given its context and similarity to the nearby Brandy Hole find, a Middle Pleistocene age is considered most likely.

Thanks to Mr and Mrs Hunter for reporting the find.