Initial examination of all classes of archaeological artefacts can be undertaken together with more detailed examination of flint artefacts.

                       

                                  Thin-section from Bath Spa


Specialist examination of flint includes:

                  Typological analysis, source studies using micropalaeontology,
                                                       and the study of deliberate heat treatment of lithic materials.

Standard Typological analysis

Flint and chert has been used to produce tools since the earliest occupation of Europe. Typological site analysis of flint and chert artefacts can give an indication of date and function of an archaeological site.











                                            
                                              Drawings by:  Amanda Garrett


Sourcing Studies

Recent developments in the microscopic analysis of flint has allowed the use of micropalaeontology and palynology for the study of flint raw material. The method is based on a multistage analysis with an initial examination of the macroscopic characteristics, followed by a microfacies analysis (general appearance of the thin-section) and detailed microfossil analysis. By comparison with a raw material type collection indications of possible source areas can be made and comparisons within an assemblage can test the number of individual flint nodules being exploited. These techniques have recently been applied to the flint assemblage from the Bath Spa site excavated by the Bath Archaeological Trust.

A range of microfossils are represented within flints. The largest group of which are the foraminifera. Other fossil groups represented include calcareous dinoflagellates, sponge spicules, calpinellids, radiolarians, dinoflagellate cysts, acritarchs, bryozoans, fish teeth, pollen and spores.

Heat treatment


                          

                                               Flint from Hetling Spring Bath

The presence of organic material within flint can allow for the investigation of the potential of deliberate heat treatment within archaeological assemblages. Differing kinds of organic materials have slightly different responses to thermal alteration with the response affecting differing materials at different temperatures. By dissolving away the silica the organic material can be extracted and compared to a reference collection to determine the temperature to which an artefact has been heated. The technique has successfully been applied to Mesolithic blade assemblages from Buxton Lismore Fields (excavated by the Trent and Peak Archaeological Trust) and material recovered from the Hetling Spring in Bath.

                                                              Contact

                                           Dr. I. P. Brooks or Ms. K. Laws

                                   Engineering Archaeological Services Ltd

                                     Unit 2, Glanypwll Enterprise Workshops
                                       Ffordd Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog
                                                  Gwynedd. LL41 3NW

                                              Tel: +44 (0) 1766 832 088
                                             Fax: +44 (0) 1766 830 061

                                           EMail: eas@tdlmail.co.uk