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Kemmelberg

First Farmers: Prospection Finds by Fieldwalking

by J L Putman & M Soenen

Hundreds of Neolithic artefacts have been found on the Kemmelberg during prospecting fieldwalks, such as scrapers, mine blades, sickles, tranchet axes, arrowheads, and transverse arrowheads.

Small circular scraper, Kemmelberg
Photo © CO7, DEPOTYZE, Ieper

Small circular scraper, Kemmelberg.

The top and bottom views are shown here of a rare circular scraper.

Grey mine blade, Kemmelberg
Photo © M Woodbury, AWaP

Grey mine blade, Kemmelberg.

Two grey blades were found from a flint mine at Spiennes in Belgium.

A sketch of the blade shown above
Photo © M Van Meenen, AOE

A sketch of the blade shown above.

The same mine blade with shine
Photo © M Woodbury, AWaP

The same mine blade with shine.

Through use, a clear shine has developed on the upper (distal) half of the right edge.

Double-edged blade, Kemmelberg
Photo © CO7, DEPOTYZE, Ieper

Double-edged blade, Kemmelberg.

This double-edged blade, about 5cm long, was probably a sickle element.

Polished flint axe, Kemmelberg, next to a modern hafted hand axe
Photo © Luc Verhetsel, VISO

Polished flint axe, Kemmelberg, next to a modern hafted hand axe.

A polished flint axe measuring 19.6cm, with a mass of 560g and a maximum thickness of 3.5cm, was found by Gerard Duflou.

Detail of flint axe
Photo © Luc Verhetsel, VISO

Detail of flint axe.

The detailed picture shows the cut and the width profile of the axe.

Polished axe, Kemmelberg, and replica
Photo © H Maertens

Polished axe, Kemmelberg, and replica.

This polished axe was reworked from a larger one. Next to it is a replica of an axe which has been hafted in a wooden handle.

Tranchet Axe, Kemmelberg, and replica
Photo © H Maertens

Tranchet Axe, Kemmelberg, and replica.

Tranchet axes were characteristic tools in the culture group which lived on the Kemmelberg. Such a tranchet axe is shown here next to a replica of a tranchet axe which has been hafted in a wooden handle.

Leaf-shaped and triangular arrowhead, Kemmelberg, and replica
Photo © H Maertens

Leaf-shaped and triangular arrowhead, Kemmelberg, and replica.

Two arrowheads, which are often leaf-shaped or triangular, together with a replica of an arrowhead which has been shafted and attached.

Two transverse arrowheads, Kemmelberg, and replica
Photo © H Maertens

Two transverse arrowheads, Kemmelberg, and replica.

Next to the transverse arrowheads, a replica of a transverse arrowhead is depicted, clamped on a wooden shaft.

Arrowheads of the Late Neolithic, Kemmelberg top
Photo © Luc Verhetsel, VISO

Arrowheads of the Late Neolithic, Kemmelberg top.

Two shafted and winged arrowheads.

Borer, Kemmelberg
Photo © CO7, DEPOTYZE, Ieper

Borer, Kemmelberg.

This rare borer is only a few centimetres long.

 

 

Text copyright © Archeo Kemmelberg. An original feature for the History Files: Kemmelberg.