Middle Palaeolithic finds from the Northern Netherlands

Abstract

(p. 71)

The Middle Palaeolithic is so far only poorly represented in the Northern Netherlands. There are 6 known finds, namely: 3 hand-axes (1 ovalaire, 1 triangulaire and 1 ovalaire/subcordiforme), 1 Mousterian point or racloir convergent (made from a frost-split piece of flint), 1 Mousterian point or racloir convergent (made from a flake) and 1 racloir convexe (also made from a frost-split piece of flint). All these are isolated finds, not found in situ.

On the basis of their typology these artefacts can best be assigned to the Mousterian; more specifically the Mousterien de tradition acheullienne of Bordes (1968) may be present, in view of the triangular hand-axe from Anderen.

From a geological point of view these finds probably date from (one or more interstadials during) the first half of the last glacial, for they presumably come from the so-called boulder-sand, an outwash residue of the boulder-clay (ground moraine from the penultimate glacial), which may have been formed especially during the last glacial.

As to the geographical distribution, it is notable that the artefacts whose find-spots are reasonably well-known all came to light along valley fringes. In addition to these 6 finds, this article also describes a number of other objects which have at some time or other been attributed to the Old or Middle Palaeolithic, but which in fact are forgeries or pseudo-artefacts, or finds from much more recent periods, or finds not originating in the Netherlands at all.