Saturday 20 April 2013

Mesolithic tools and carved bones from the Stainton gravel beds.

 
 1 - I found this worked stone about 3 years ago in Stainton beck, I am certain it was washed from the gravel beds, I believe it was some sort of shaft smoother. 
 2
 3
 4
  5
 6
 7
 8 - If ime honest I can not remember the beck location I found this piece, at first I paid it little attention, thinking it just to be a worn Equus Metatarsal but I now know it to either have been a tool of some sort or a religious or symbolic artifact. The lighter coloured material is actually preserved wood, that has been inserted into the bone.
 9
 10
 11- 14 This piece I found very close to the stone tool in the first images, I found these pieces a long time ago before I had started any excavating, but have never been in any doubt that they were tools of some sort.
 12
 13
 14

 15 - 19 Digging tools

 16

 17

 18

 19


 20 - 22 Carved bone .

  21


 22



 23 - Carved Artefact

  
 23 - Digging tools found at the Orme bronze age copper mines in Wales.
 
 
 24 a - Fire starter ?
 
 
 b

 c
 
 
 
 
 25 a - Worked flint

 b

 c

 d

 e
 
 
 
 26 a -  More worked bone

 b
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

HISTORY OF A BECK: The Stainton gravel beds

    HISTORY OF A BECK: Storregga slides Stunami theory


 
Posted by Picasa

Wednesday 17 April 2013

Mesolithic worked flint excavated from the Stainton gravel beds.

This piece of Mesolithic black worked flint was excavated recently from the tightly packed Stainton gravel beds at Stainton Beck, along with minerals and preserved mammal rib bone fragments, and much older Jurassic Fossils.

 1 The Stainton gravel beds are outlined in red.

 2 The Alluvium is outlined in orange.

3 The flint piece was excavated to the bottom right hand side of the spade, along with mammal rib bone fragments.

 4 The gravel beds again average 300 mm thick.
 
 5 - The advice Ive been given so far points to there being little doubt, that this piece is a finely worked flint tool.

 6

 7

 8 - This image shows what must surly be a worked edge.

 9 I have recently been informed by Peter Row of Tees Archaeology that this piece was probably a scraper, the link below was supplied by Peter.
 
 
 

Tuesday 16 April 2013

Vein Quartz excavated from the Stainton gravel beds

  1- I have now been reliably informed by members of the Mindat forum that this piece is Vein Quartz with Quartz crystals.
  2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9

 

 

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
Posted by Picasa

Monday 15 April 2013

Septarian concretions excavated from the Stainton gravel beds

 1 - I have now been advised by members of the Mindat forum that this and other pieces that I excavated from the Stainton gravel beds recently are Septarian concretions. 
 2
 3
 4
 5
Posted by Picasa

Thursday 11 April 2013

Prehistoric bone and artifacts to date. ( Stainsby Beck south west Cleveland )

 This is the full assemblage to date of excavated bone and artefacts, including a preserved leather shoe sole, pottery, and utilised bone and wood, from the grey lake bed deposits at Stainsby beck Thornaby on Tees Cleveland. Tees Archaeology have been informed of all finds. The Human tibia shaft excavated from this deposit is not shown but can be viewed by clicking the link below.

http://historyofabeck.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/ancient-human-tibia-shaft-excavated.html

Posted by Picasa

Stainsby beck Prehistoric Mineralised wood excavated from Iron Age deposits.

  1 - This piece of mineralised wood was excavated from the ancient lake bed deposits at Stainsby beck.
 2 - It was excavated very close to the latest bone and pottery finds.
 3 - The mineralised wood like most stone and bone found in the south west area of Cleveland is magnetic, this phenomena has been reported many times to Geologists by myself. 
 4 - The thicker veins seem to be totally mineralised, calcite maybe. I believe this wood was utilised, before it ended up with the bones and artefact's also found.
Posted by Picasa

Wednesday 10 April 2013

( Stainsby beck) Prehistoric excavation

1 - All excavated bone including one piece of pottery.
                                                                       
                                                               
 2 - Equus scapula piece before being fully excavated.


 2a - Excavation

3 - Another utilised bone

 4 - 8  Pottery rim piece hopefully I will get the dating from Tees Archaeology using this piece.

 5

 6

 7

 8 - All of the pottery pieces found strongly attract a rare earth magnet, as with most minerals and bone found in this area, it must contain some kind of magnetite. 

 9 - 10  Capra Ovis horn.

 10 - This horn seems large for iron age early or late.

Please use the link below to view more on this excavation.