Articles

A hand-axe made of hälleflinta found at Anreep, near Assen (Province of Drente, the Netherlands)

Authors

  • D. Stapert

Abstract

(p. 50)

In this article is described a hand-axe, found on the surface of a dam, near the hamlet of Anreep (mun. of Assen). The hand-axe is made of hälleflinta, a rock of northern origin that to some extent resembles flint. Up to now no other finds have been made at the site. At this spot boulder-clay is present at a depth of 120 cm below the surface (in some places less deep), on top of which there is bouldersand (a weathering residue of boulder-clay) and cover-sand (dating from the Late Glacial of the last ice age). The hand-axe, that in view of the surface modifications present must originate from the boulder-sand, presumably came to lie on the surface as a result of digging activities in the immediate vicinity.

The site lies along the northwestern fringe of a side-valley of the Amer diep, that belongs to the valley system of the Drentsche Aa.

Typologically the hand-axe can be classified as a biface subcordiforme. The specimen is asymmetric, however, and this can probably be attributed to the relatively deficient properties of the material used. From an archeological viewpoint the hand-axe can best be placed in the MTA type A of Bordes, just like the triangular hand-axe from Anderen and the material of Mander (including a subtriangular hand-axe made out of a flake). The hand-axe therefore can most probably be dated in the Early Glacial of the last ice age.

Published

1982-12-15

Issue

Section

Articles