Description
Recorded Mesolithic–Neolithic Retouched Flint Blade
This carefully selected archaeological artefact is a genuine retouched flint blade or elongated flake discovered at Thorp Arch in West Yorkshire, England. It is recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme under reference PAS SWYOR-6CD9C2 and is attributed broadly to the Mesolithic–Neolithic period, approximately 8300–2100 BC.
The artefact measures 51.9 × 19 × 9 mm and weighs 7.58 g. Its elongated proportions and deliberately modified edge identify it as a worked lithic object rather than an unaltered natural fragment. The surviving retouch records a secondary stage of manufacture in which the original flake or blade was selectively reshaped to improve, strengthen or renew part of its working margin.
The photographs show the actual carefully chosen specimen you will receive. This is not a stock image or a representative piece selected from a group. Please examine the images for the complete profile, retouched edge, flake scars, geological colouring, patination and condition. Full sizing is also shown in the photographs.
Portable Antiquities Scheme Record
This prehistoric flint artefact is associated with Portable Antiquities Scheme reference SWYOR-6CD9C2. A PAS reference connects an object with a formal archaeological record and preserves its identification and reported find location within a recognised national recording system.
The recorded provenance of Thorp Arch, West Yorkshire, adds considerable archaeological interest. Findspot information allows an artefact to be considered within its regional landscape rather than solely as an isolated worked stone.
Recorded lithics contribute to the wider understanding of prehistoric activity across Yorkshire, including settlement, movement, hunting, resource gathering and the acquisition or exchange of workable stone. This reference will accompany the specimen as part of its documented modern history.
Retouched Blade or Flake Artefact Type
A blade is an intentionally detached piece of stone that is generally longer than it is wide and often preserves approximately parallel lateral margins. The term flake is broader and describes a fragment removed from a core through deliberate percussion or pressure.
This specimen is classified as a retouched blade or flake because its proportions are blade-like while its surviving features permit a broader lithic description. Archaeological terminology often reflects the characteristics preserved on an individual artefact rather than forcing it into an overly narrow category.
Retouch consists of small, controlled removals made after the original blank was detached. These secondary flakes could create a more regular cutting margin, blunt an edge for safer handling, form a scraping surface or resharpen a worn section.
The placement and angle of retouch provide evidence of deliberate prehistoric modification. Even limited edge working could transform a naturally sharp flake into a more durable and task-specific implement.
Mesolithic–Neolithic Dating
The supplied date range of approximately 8300–2100 BC spans the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in Britain. This broad attribution reflects the long use of retouched blades and flakes across both periods.
Mesolithic communities relied heavily on hunting, fishing and gathering. Their stone industries often included carefully produced blades and bladelets that could be used independently or incorporated into composite tools.
During the Neolithic, farming, livestock management and more permanent settlement became increasingly important. Flint remained essential for cutting, scraping, woodworking, hide preparation and the manufacture of larger implements.
A retouched blade could therefore belong to several stages of Britain’s prehistoric development. Its classification reflects technological features shared across a long period of changing subsistence practices and social organisation.
Yorkshire Prehistoric Landscape
Thorp Arch lies within West Yorkshire, a region shaped by river valleys, glacial deposits, limestone areas and routes connecting the Pennines with the Vale of York.
Prehistoric communities moved through this landscape to obtain food, water, timber and stone. Rivers and natural corridors provided practical routes for travel, while elevated ground offered viewpoints and access to varied ecological zones.
Flint artefacts found in Yorkshire may represent tools carried into the region, objects made from transported raw material or pieces produced from stone obtained through exchange and movement. Their discovery provides durable evidence of human activity in landscapes where shelters, wooden equipment and other organic materials have usually disappeared.
Flint Geology and Material Composition
Flint is a hard, compact siliceous rock composed predominantly of microscopic quartz crystals. It commonly forms as nodules, lenses or irregular bands within chalk and other carbonate-rich sedimentary deposits.
The silica was concentrated through geological processes within ancient marine sediments. Over time, this produced dense stone capable of taking extremely sharp fracture edges.
Flint may appear black, grey, brown, cream or mottled when freshly broken. Its surface colour can change through prolonged burial, weathering and chemical interaction with surrounding soil.
Patination may create pale grey, white or bluish surfaces, while iron-rich deposits can produce brown, orange or reddish staining. The precise colour, translucency, texture and patination of this individual specimen are visible in the listing photographs.
Conchoidal Fracture and Flint Knapping
Flint fractures conchoidally, allowing skilled knappers to remove flakes in controlled directions. A prepared striking platform was hit with a hammerstone, antler billet or similar tool, sending force through the stone and detaching a flake.
The resulting blank could preserve a striking platform, bulb of percussion, ripples and dorsal scars from earlier removals made from the core. These features allow archaeologists to reconstruct elements of the manufacturing process.
Once detached, the blade or flake could be selected for immediate use or modified further. Small flakes were removed along the chosen edge to create the retouch visible on the finished artefact.
The process required an understanding of striking angle, force and stone quality. Internal flaws or mineral inclusions could redirect a fracture, so prehistoric knappers continually adapted their technique to the individual piece of flint.
Possible Functions of a Retouched Flint Blade
Retouched blades and flakes were versatile components of prehistoric toolkits. A sharp margin could be used for cutting meat, plants, fibres, hide or other organic materials.
A steeper retouched edge may have functioned as a scraper for working animal skins, wood, bone or antler. Retouch could also strengthen an edge that would otherwise have been too fragile for repeated use.
Some blades were mounted in wooden, bone or antler handles using resin, bindings or other organic materials. Others were held directly in the hand for brief cutting tasks.
The precise function of a stone tool is normally established through microscopic wear analysis and residue examination. Its surviving form nevertheless demonstrates deliberate edge modification intended to make the original blank more useful or durable.
Archaeological Significance
This artefact preserves direct evidence of prehistoric craftsmanship and decision-making. The original blank was deliberately detached from a core and subsequently selected for additional modification.
Each retouch scar represents a controlled action. The maker assessed the flake’s proportions, chose a useful margin and removed small pieces to produce the desired edge.
Its PAS record and Thorp Arch findspot give the specimen particular value as a documented piece of Yorkshire archaeology. The combination of recorded provenance, measurable form and visible stone-working features makes it suitable for studying prehistoric lithic technology and regional activity.
Actual Specimen, Measurements and Condition
The exact artefact shown in the photographs is the specimen supplied. It measures 51.9 mm long, 19 mm wide and 9 mm thick, with a recorded weight of 7.58 g.
Please use the photographs to assess its complete outline, thickness, retouched margin, fracture surfaces, patination, geological colour and overall condition. Ancient edge losses, mineral staining, weathering and variations in surface texture form part of its archaeological character.
Certificate of Authenticity
This is a genuine physical artefact and includes a generic lifetime Certificate of Authenticity guarantee card.
The certificate accompanies the actual specimen shown, together with its identification as a Mesolithic–Neolithic retouched flint blade or flake from Thorp Arch, West Yorkshire, recorded as PAS SWYOR-6CD9C2.
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