Record Details

NHER Number:12592
Type of record:Find Spot
Name:Unprovenanced Palaeolithic finds (Rougham, marginal)

Summary

In 1907 Rougham was listed as a location that had produced at least one Palaeolithic implement. This was possibly a reference to Palaeolithic material in the British Museum that is recorded as being from Rougham, although it should be noted that most (if not all) of these objects are now believed to have been found in Suffolk.

Images - none

Location

Parish:ROUGHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Unprovenanced Palaeolithic flint objects, possibly recovered in the parish of Rougham during the late 19th century.

FINDS IN MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

The British Museum Sturge Collection includes several objects that are recorded as being from Rougham. These include a probable handaxe figured in (S1). Information from (S2).
It is recorded on (S2) and (S3) that Rougham in Suffolk it is now thought to be a more likely provenance for these objects. As Wymer notes in (S4) Rougham in Suffolk was also suggested as a probable source for at least one of these objects in (S1). The collection is now listed in the museum's current records as being from Suffolk and as comprising 4 roughouts and 1 core (2011,8109.1158). The former are the 4 handaxes from Rougham listed by Roe in (S5); which also records these objects as being most likely from Suffolk, rather than Norfolk. According to Wymer (S4) the objects in question are 4 pointed handaxes in sharp or mint condition, that, according to (S9), were apparently found in brickearth. Although Wymer recorded these objects as being from Suffolk, he did note on (S7) that if these were indeed from Rougham in Norfolk a brickworks at TG 826 208 (NHER 3672) would be a possible source.

It has been suggested that at least one of the objects in this collection may actually be Neolithic (S6).

It is also recorded on (S2) and (S3) that the British Museum also holds a handaxe labelled "Rougham, Norfolk" that had been found in 1887. The nature and present location of this object are unclear.

REPORTED DISCOVERIES

According to (S7) one of W. G. Clarke's notebooks (NRO) mentions that there is "In BM a flint pal" from Rougham, which is presumably a reference to one of the above finds. This object was most likely the reason that Clarke listed Rougham in (S8) as one of the locations that had produced Palaeolithic material prior to 1907. This reference is also noted on (S7) and in (S4).

Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 6 August 2013.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 40001 BC)

Associated Finds

  • HANDAXE (Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 40001 BC)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic - 500000 BC? to 40001 BC?)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

<S1>Publication: Smith, R. A. 1931. The Sturge Collection: an illustrated selection of flints from Britain bequeathed in 1919 by William Allen Sturge. pp 46; Fig 236.
<S2>Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Palaeolithic.
<S3>Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S4>Publication: Wymer, J. J. 1985. Palaeolithic Sites of East Anglia. pp 18, 142.
<S5>Monograph: Roe, D. A. 1968. A Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites. CBA Research Report. No 8. p 277.
<S6>Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Neolithic. Rougham.
<S7>Record Card: Wymer, J. J. Wymer Index Card - Palaeolithic. Rougham.
<S8>Article in Serial: Clarke, W. G. 1907. The Distribution of Flint and Bronze Implements in Norfolk. Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society. Vol VIII Pt III (for 1906-1907) pp 393-409. p 396.
<S9>Monograph: 1911. The Victoria History of Suffolk. The Victoria History of the Counties of England. Vol 1. p 261.

Related records - none

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