Butchery Experiments with Reading University

Anna Machin (Reading University) is currently running experiments in animal butchery using bifacial stone tool. This week Matthew Pope helped in these experiments by systematically using bifaces to skin, quarter and joint a number of deer carcasses. The resulting video and transcriptions will be used to analyse the effectiveness of different bifacial edges and to test the overall significance of symmetry in the process.





The work looks set to provide some important insight into the way in which these tools were used in the past. Certainly it has already changed some of our perceptions and assumptions on the tool.

New water supply coming to Boxgrove

While last month saw the final reconnection of power (absent since the restoration work) into the Boxgrove Quarry, this week it was announced that a new high pressure water main would be connected to the Boxgrove site. This work will be funded by English Heritage, it will ensure that next years field work project can be based at the Quarry and that the work-horse of our palaeo-environmental sampling programme, the Vole Machine, can once again be put into action.