Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Wansunt Pit, numerous mint condition handaxes and flakes recovered from the "Wansunt Loam" in the eastern extension of the main Wansunt Pit, Dartford

Monument Types

• OCCUPATION SITE (Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)

Associated Finds

• CORE (Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)
• DEBITAGE (Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)
• HANDAXE (Lower Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 150001 BC)

Full description

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Numerous mint condition handaxes and flakes recovered from the "Wansunt Loam" in the eastern extension of the Wansunt Pit, Dartford pit in the early 20th century (1, 2). Most of the handaxes are of ovate or cordate shape, and many of them with a twisted profile (3). The fresh condition and the presence of refitting material (4) confirms the presence of an undisturbed occupation site. The geology of the site is complex and contested (4, 5). The Wansunt Loam overlies broadly east-west trending Thames terrace deposits contiguous with the major Dartford Heath aggradation, although it is uncertain how these relate to the well-defined Boyn Hill/100-ft terrace deposits at Swanscombe further east. However it is additionally uncertain whether the Wansunt Loam fills an east-west trending Thames channel incised into the underlying terrace deposits, or whether it fills a north-south trending tributary gully or depression. It is furthermore uncertain whether the Wansunt Loam deposits are colluvial or waterlain (4, 5). The site was investigated in 2000 (4,9) prior to construction of housing in the old quarry and several flakes, two of them refitting, were found from the surviving Wansunt Loam deposits in the north face of the pit extension ["Geo section 1"], which is also designated as an SSSI. The site is included in the Southern Rivers Project (6, 7), and was assessed and visited in 2003 as part of the KTG MES, site KT 708 (8).

Record in summary form only as not in Kent

<1> Chandler RH & Leach AL,, 1911, Excursion to Dartford Heath. (Article in serial). SKE32285.

<2> Chandler RH, Leach AL,, 1912, On the Dartford Heath Gravel and on a Palaeolithic implement factory. (Article in serial). SKE32226.

<3> Wymer, JJ, 1968, Lower Palaeolithic Archaeology in Britain as represented by the Thames Valley., pp 326-327 (Monograph). SKE29697.

<4> Wenban-Smith FF, White MJ, Allen P, Bridgland DR, Bates MR,, 2003, Refitting Palaeolithic artefacts from Wansunt Pit. (Article in serial). SKE32270.

<5> Bridgland DR, 1994, Quaternary of the Thames. (Monograph). SKE32233.

<6> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text], NWK 3.11 (Monograph). SWX6569.

<7> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project: maps for Report No. 2, Regions 4 & 1, The South West and South of the Thames [Vol II - maps], NWK 3.11 (Unpublished document). SKE12023.

<8> Essex County Council & Kent County Council, 2003, Archaeological Survey of Mineral Extraction Sites around the Thames Estuary, KTG #708 (Unpublished document). SKE12012.

<9> Oxford Archaeology, 2002, Wansunt Pit, Crayford: Post-excavation Assessment. (Unpublished document). SKE32286.

Sources and further reading