ENGLAND: THE OTHER WITHIN

Pitt Rivers in Acton in 1869 - artefacts

Alison Petch,
Researcher 'The Other Within' project

There are a total of 179 artefacts from Acton in the founding collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum, there are a further 3 artefacts from Ealing Dean. There may in fact be more items collected by Pitt Rivers in the founding collection from this area, however, these additional items are dated 1870 and later, and may have been passed to him by a third party who knew of his interest, they have therefore not been included below.

The figures in brackets are measurements in centimetres. Note that for each artefact the PRM acccession book entry has been given, in cases where the accession book does not confirm geographical provenance a further form of documentation has also been given. Full entries can be obtained both from the full databases on this site and the PRM Objects Catalogue.
All entries are from Pitt Rivers Accession Book VI, each of them is drawn in the accession book.
Note that despite fact that Pitt Rivers' paper to the Geological Society mentions specific roads with regards to the finds, the documentation which has come to the PRM does not for the most part, it might be possible to match the rest, but this has not been done to date.
It is clear from some of the entries that Pitt Rivers' work in Ealing and Acton carried on into 1870

Find out more about Pitt Rivers work in Acton in 1869

Ealing Dean
1. 1884.122.1 1884.122.1 - 597 Stone Implements Palaeolithic Period Flint unless otherwise stated. Top Gallery South End Case I Lower Palaeolithic NB Location no longer accurate - Large yellow brown patinated boucher (13 cm long), subtriangular with long point. Found in drift 92 ft A.S.L see below - ?above sea level Ealing Dean
2. 1884.122.367 Rolled small honey-coloured pear-shaped implement, biconvex, irregular surfaces with bad patches, point broken (10 1/2) Drift Ealing Dean 14.7.69 92 above M.S.L. [MSL possibly difficult to read ASL! ]
3. 1884.125.65 1884.125.1 - 415 Neolithic implements 1884.125.1 - 122 5th drawer - Small flint hammer stone found in gravel on the road Ealing Dean 15.7.69 (c/n/t) [sic - could be dnt] (8) ALF

Acton
Note that a "worked flake" from Acton, High Terrace Gravels was among the 90 items sent to the Australian Museum in 1950.
1. 1884.122.7 1884.122.1 - 597 Stone Implements Palaeolithic Period Flint unless otherwise stated- Small rough yellow brown subovate double convex implement, angle piece broken away one side (8 1/2) Acton High Terrace gravels
2. 1884.122.330 Small subquadrangular thick flake with long flake scars on surface (6 1/4 central) High Terrace Gravels (NB after this point these are often called H.T. Gravels) Acton Sept 1871
3. 1884.122.331 Rough flake with cortex over wide end, bulb on ventral side. Found under high terrace Gravels Acton Sept 1871
4. 1884.122.332 Flake, large flake scars above dorsal bulb on ventral side. Found under high terrace Gravels Acton Sept 1871
5. 1884.122.333 Flake, large flake scars above dorsal bulb on ventral side. Found under high terrace Gravels Acton Sept 1871
6. 1884.122.334 Long yellowish suboval flake with very long parallel flake scars and bulb on respective surfaces (14) found under high terrace Gravels Acton Sept 1871
7. 1884.122.335 Long narrow grey flake (triangular cross section) (13 1/4) bulb and hinge fracture .... sic illegible found under high terrace Gravels Acton Sept 1871
8. 1884.122.336 Box containing ferruginous sandy clay with fragments of wood, bright rust colour in which above flakes presumably 1884.122.330-335 were found at Acton
9. 1884.122.338 Pointed ovate (arch point) plate of bone, grey found c 4ft deep in Drift Gravel (10 central) East Acton May 1869
10. 1884.122.339 Condyle end of a bone which has been sawn through with saw marks on side. Found with implements in Drift Gravel 3 feet from surface East Acton May 1869 885
11. 1884.122.340 Core of yellow brown flint, rolled cortex on butt (13 1/2 mean) High Terrace Gravel Mill Hill Acton 5.6.69
12. 1884.122.341 Accession Book VI entry -?Core of black flint, sub-circular, sub-conical cortex on one side, round butt HT Gravels Acton Mar 1870 (c 10)
13. 1884.122.342 Small block of dark flint, flaked core, round butt (AB c 7) High Terrace Gravels Acton
14. 1884.122.343 Small round pointed block, yellower than 1884.122.342 patches of cortex (6) Drift Acton 14.6.69
15. 1884.122.344 Large heavy rolled yellow-brown subpentangular pointed implement, cortex-covered except at point and on lateral margins ?Acton Locality obliterated
16. 1884.122.345 Rough smoky honey-coloured plano-convex carinated broad-nosed shoe-shaped implement (11 1/2) No Locality
Blue book entry - Drift series from Acton High Terrace Gravel 904 - 7 Cores flint Acton (1426)
17. 1884.122.346 Rough subquadrangular ovate, flaked both sides, cortex on back, thick truncated butt HT Gravel Acton 29.8.70 (12)
18. 1884.122.347 Rough yellow suboval plano-convex implement with broad flaked point and cortex covered butt on dorsal side HT Gravel Drift Acton (12)
19. 1884.122.348 Small subquadrangular 'ovate', biconvex, flaked both sides (8) HT Gravel Acton 18.5.70 9 feet
20. 1884.122.349 Rough round-butted implement with wide biconcave subtriangular flaked blade with a notch above side making point 'square angled' High Terrace Gravel Acton
21. 1884.122.350 Small plano-convex implement with flaked triangular point (concavity on one edge) and cortex covered butt (7 1/4) High Terrace Gravels Acton
22. 1884.122.351 Triangular pointed implement of thick flake, plano-convex, cortex on dorsal side of butt (7 1/2) High Terrace Gravels Acton June 1870
23. 1884.122.352 Triangular pointed implement of pebble with cortexed butt and long tongue-shaped flaked point (10) Churchfield Acton 894
24. 1884.122.353 Large orange implemt sic - implement with long triangular point with ridged back (apparently natural), worked on ventral side (14 1/4) East Acton 3.8.69
25. 1884.122.354 Suboval green-brown implement. truncated thick butt with strip of cortex, wedge (tongue-shaped) point (recent flake removed on one side) (c 10) High terraced gravel Acton Green
26. 1884.122.357 Pointed ovate, broader than 1884.122.356, thick truncated butt much rolled (11) Drift E Acton 7ft 21.7.69
27. 1884.122.358 Thick-butted semi-oval pointed (biconvex) implement with thick truncated butt (9 1/2 mean) Drift E Acton 10ft 4.5.69
28. 1884.122.359 Smaller flatter more triangular implement than 1884.122.358 (?broken off an implement) slight rounded spur at extremity (6 1/2) HT Gravels Mill Hill Acton
29. 1884.122.360 Large thick butted plano-convex shoe-shaped carinated rolled orange implement, tip of point broken, cortex on butt (15) Drift Church Field Acton 11.3.70
30. 1884.122.361 Implement, black, not carinated (13 3/4) Drift E Acton 6ft 24.4.69
31. 1884.122.362 Round thick-butted (cortex on one side) triangular-pointed implement, plano-convex (9 3/4) HT Gravel Acton July 1870
32. 1884.122.363 Similar to 1884.122.362 biconvex implement, flaked both sides, cortex over butt, worked point (9 3/4) Acton
33. 1884.122.364 Subtriangular rolled orange implement, ?plano-convex, cortex on back Church Field (11 1/2) Drift Mar 1870
34. 1884.122.365 Small yellow-grey irregular biconvex implement of pointed ovate type, flaked both sides (7 1/2) HT Gravel Acton 15.7.70
35. 1884.122.366 Large plano-convex broad-butted pointed implement, humped in centre, slooping down to butt, irregular pointed ovate type (13) HT Gravel Acton 27.?.70
36. 1884.122.368 Narrow orange plano-convex rolled implement, similar shape to 1884.122.367, ventral side flaked on one margin, cortex on butt (12) H.T. Gravels Acton 28.11.78
37. 1884.122.369 Dark round (pointed ovate) butted triangular plano-convex flake implement, thick at butt (9) Acton
38. 1884.122.370 Similar orange brown implement to 1884.122.369, biconvex, flaked both sides, edge all round (10) H.T. Gravels Acton 11.7.78
39. 1884.122.371 Grey and pale yellow rough plano-convex thick-butted pointed implement, flaked both sides, side of butt irregularly truncated (12) Church Field Acton Ap 1870
40. 1884.122.372 Small thin leaf-shaped flake implement, median flake ridge one side, bulb the other Drift E Acton 10ft 4.5.69
41. 1884.122.373 Tongue-shaped flake with broad straight cortex base (c 8 central) Drift High Terrace Gravels East Acton 10ft 15.5.69
42. 1884.122.374 Subtriangular plano-convex dark flake, convex side ?alveolar, base a straight ?worked edge (7 1/4) High Terrace Gravels Acton
43. 1884.122.375 Small dark honey-coloured plano-convex cortex flake 'awl' with long point (6 1/2) Drift Church Field Acton Mar 1870
44. 1884.122.376 'Awl' of orange flake (not cortex flake) (5 3/4) perhaps also concave scraper Drift Church Field Acton
45. 1884.122.377 Similar flake, darker than 1884.122.376, blunt point worked along 2 margins (6 1/2) Drift East Acton 10.5.69
46. 1884.122.378 Suboval dark flake with small lateral point at one end, worked all round (7 1/4) Acton HT Gravels 15.7.70
47. 1884.122.379 Long narrow curved orange flake with curved point worked all round (8 1/4) Acton HT Gravels 15.7.70
48. 1884.122.380 Large narrow suboval yellow brown grey quartzite pointed flake, carinated back, flaw in stone beneath point (11 3/4) Acton HT Gravels 29.11.70
49. 1884.122.381 Subrectangular yellow smooth flake with lateral square-tipped point, bulb at base (0.7) Drift E Acton 12.8.69
50. 1884.122.382 Wide suboval dark grey yellow flake with small lateral point, patch of cortex on surface (c 8 1/4) HT Gravel (Gravel on road) East Acton Aug 1869
51. 1884.122.384 Flat broad yellow grey flake, trimmed along 3 edges (6 1/4) Drift East Acton Aug 1869
52. 1884.122.385 Thick creamy smooth broad grey flake, ?hollow scraper with broad lateral point trimmed all round except along the straighter margin (8 1/4) HT Gravel 14ft in drift gravel Friar's Place Rd Acton 9.8.69
53. 1884.122.386 Thick broad dark mottled flake, trimmed round point at one end, trimmed along one side of it (c 9) Acton
54. 1884.122.387 Broad yellow-brown flake, smooth both sides, small trimmed hollow at one end and trimmed margin on one side, straight hinge fracture (partial) (7 1/2 wide) HTG Acton
55. 1884.122.388 Flat yellowish flake, flaked on one side, trimmed along lateral margins, point broken off (5 3/4) Drift East Acton 14.7.69
56. 1884.122.389 Grey brown flake, bulb on ventral surface, trimmed all round to a hooked point HTG E Acton (5) 1869
57. 1884.122.390 Irregular yellow grey flake, roughly curved one side from short straight margin, trimmed edge all round 18ft in drift gravel (7 1/2 wide) Friar's Place Rd Acton 9.8.69
58. 1884.122.391 Dark grey narrow flake, truncated at bulb, trimmed all round, 2 rounded projections at wider end (c 7) Acton Green Gravel from Mill Hill and Ealing 10.7.69
59. 1884.122.392 Small pentangular flake, smooth both sides (one with conchoidal rings), notch one side, trimmed round 4 margins, 5th 'straight' (4) Acton
60. 1884.122.393 Narrow dark keeled flake, point broken, sharp edges (c 9) HT Gravel Acton
61. 1884.122.394 Narrow curved dark keeled flake, cortex at point, trimmed edges (9 1/4) HT Gravel Acton July 1870
62. 1884.122.395 Narrow translucent brown grey flake, keeled, trimmed all round and worked to a point (7 3/4) High Terrace Gravel Acton July 1870
63. 1884.122.396 Similar grey opaque flake, keel removed, thicker than above 1884.122.395, bilobed at butt, point ?broken, worked all round (6 1/4) (?bilobed effect due to accidental chip) HT Gravel Acton
64. 1884.122.397 Very small honey-coloured keeled flake, one trimmed edge, point broken (3 1/2) Acton
65. 1884.122.398 Narrow suboval grey plano-convex flake (end broken and mended) trimmed all round (9 1/2) Drift East Acton 29.5.69
66. 1884.122.399 Grey brown leaf-shaped keeled flake, point gone, serrated edge, base thick and slightly shouldered (c 8 1/2) Drift Church Field Acton Mar 1870
67. 1884.122.400 Yellowish narrow flake with rounded point, weathered, apparently trimmed along point, ventral side has a patch of patina and fresh-looking marginal flake scars Church Field Acton Mar 1870
68. 1884.122.401 Thick, grey-brown, plano-convex,subquadrangular, round-topped, straight-butted flake, thicker at the rounded end, large sinus on one side, keel removed, worked all round except butt (9) Church Field Acton Aug 1869 (Gravel)
69. 1884.122.402 Orange-brown suboval thick flake (one surface alveolar), worked all round except on a straight short length of margin rolled specimen (10) HT Gravel Drift East Acton 29.5.69
70. 1884.122.403 Suboval mottled grey and white wedge flake, sub-oval with sinus at one end and round point at the other and natural hole in centre, edge of sinus and margins of thick side appear to be work sic - worked or used (11) HT Gravel Acton
71. 1884.122.404 Dark smoky yellow-grey arch-shaped flint, irregular outline with fossil hole forming the arch, worked all round (?concave etc scraper) (8) HT Gravel Acton
72. 1884.122.405 Similar to 1884.122.404 arched flake with roughly pointed projection at the top, margins worked in part (Max 10) Drift E Acton
73. 1884.122.408 Large long narrow grey flake of quartzite, weather sic - weathered? red brown on flaked size sic - side, large flake scars, slanting point, one edge shows possible signs of use as a scraper (19 3/4) Drift E Acton 21.1.79
74. 1884.122.409 Round-pointed dark pebble off which a flake has been struck on each side, one extending to the point, signs of possible wear butt and on point and one side of point (9) HT Gravel Acton July 1870
75. 1884.122.410 Sub-semi-circular piece of pale greenish soft gritty clay artificially moulded ('Thanet sand') (5 3/4) Acton
76. 1884.122.412 Large thick dark narrow wedge flake, ?scraper, parallel flaking one side, signs of wear on edge and at one end, cortex along back (13) Drift East Acton 21.7.69
77. 1884.122.413 S-shaped subrectangular smooth flake, ?scraper, wedge-shaped, shouldered projection at one end with signs of wear in the 'neck' along edge and back and in concavity at the other end (11) Drift Acton April 1870
78. 1884.122.414 Sub-semi-circular flake, ?scraper, brownish with apparent signs of use all round (c 9 1/4) High Terrace Gravel Acton
79. 1884.122.415 Sub-pentagular grey wedge flake, cortex on one edge, ?scraper, signs of wear along 'straight' bevelled edge and all round 6 1/2 HT Gravel Acton
80. 1884.122.416 Orange suboval wedge flake with some cortex on back, point at one side, forming concave scraper, long edge serrated with apparent signs of use (10 1/2) Acton 1870
81. 1884.122.417 Thick smoky orange flake with cortex on back, double concave scraper with sinus on each side of a trimmed 'museau' (c 6 3/4) Drift East Acton (gravel on road) 1869
82. 1884.122.418 Smoky yellow wedge flake of pebble with knob, cortex along 2 of 4 sides, scraper and perhaps concave scraper on the back (edge 7) HT Gravel Acton 1870
83. 1884.122.419 Half an oval pebble with most of the cortex removed with beak point scraper, 2 concavities and most of edge apparently worn by use, back also ?abrased Gravel on road near Acton GWR station Sept 1869
84. 1884.122.420 Sub-oval brown orange spotted plano-convex suboval flake, trimmed all round with several ?scraper concavities Acton village 11ft Sept 1869
85. 1884.122.421 Pointed orange flake, cone of percussion at thick end, cross keeled on side (7 1/2), trimmed all round HTG Acton July '97 sic
86. 1884.122.422 Small thick plano-convex red and honey coloured scraper, concave and convex, scraping areas apparently formed from a patinated flake (7) Brick earth Acton Mar 1870
87. 1884.122.424 Plano-convex grey and yellow flake, worked all round with shaped spur forming hollow scraper (c 6) HT Gravel E Acton
88. 1884.122.425 Flat-surfaced curved thin purply grey flake, small worked point at the top, worn in the curve and along opposite side (6 1/4) HT Gravel Acton
89. 1884.122.426 Small narrow yellow grey flake scraper with ?5 worked (worn) hollows at the ends and on one side (6 3/4) HT Gravel Acton Mar 1870
90. 1884.122.427 Small dark honey-coloured fan-shaped thin flake, thick, truncated at angle, ?trimmed along one side, ?worn at the thick end as scraper (c 4) Brick Earth E Acton Mar 1869
91. 1884.122.428 Long narrow tapering thick grey flake, one side bevelled, ?small hollow scraper in the other, perhaps worked along edge near and on the end (11 1/4) East Acton 2.9.69
92. 1884.122.429 Flat faced and backed orange flake, narrow one end, also flat serrated along edge (?some recent flaking )(c 8 1/2) HTG Acton
93. 1884.122.430 Curved dark yellow grey flake of same type, suggesting a saw, ?hollow scraper on back edge (7 1/4) Drift East Acton 14.7.69
94. 1884.122.431 Dark oval plano-convex flake trimmed all round, small hollow scraper forming hook point (8 3/4) HTG Acton
95. 1884.122.432 Yellow grey tongue-shaped flake with straight butt, trimmed along the edges HTG Acton 29.8.70
96. 1884.122.433 Small grey keeled flake, point truncated (bulb end), bilobed base (?hollow scraper), trimmed along edges (6 1/2) HTG Acton 19.9.70
97. 1884.122.434 Skew leaf-shaped small dark grey keeled plano-convex flake, margins trimmed, ?hollow scraper under point HTG Acton
98. 1884.122.435 Small triangular flat-backed wedge flake, honey-coloured, long edge serrated (5 1/2) HTG Acton 1870
99. 1884.122.436 Small yellow-grey bow-edged wedge flake, part of edge possibly trimmed (6 1/2) HTG Acton Jul 1870
100. 1884.122.437 Small bar sic of flint, partly plano-convex with rounded point, worn along edges near it 10 1/2 HTG Acton Jul 1870
101-2. 1884.122.546-7 2 flint implements (?Acheulian) mounted in brass clips on stand under glass cover. A. Orange patinated biconvex ?pointed ovate core implement roughly flaked point broken (c 14 1/2) B. Long pointed honey coloured boucher with cortex at the butt biconvex (c 19) Found 63 ft beneath sand and gravel resting on London clay surface 70 ft above high water mark v Report Brit Ass 1868 p 131
103. 1884.123.330 1884.123.1 - 911 Neolithic and Mesolithic Madelainean etc - Fusiform flat alveolar flake worked on one side ?knife (10) found in sifting gravel Acton 16.12.68
104. 1884.125.64 1884.125.1 - 415 Neolithic implements 1884.125.1 - 122 5th drawer - Large globular flint hammer stone with contused surface (10 3/4) Acton
105. 1884.125.67 Elongated core with contused areas (11 1/2) East Acton top soil 21.7.69 ALF
106-118. 1884.125.68-80 10 flakes and 3 cores of form shewn Drawing (c 1/2 length) Acton and East Acton
119. 1884.125.81 Discoidal dark flint flake scraper (4 3/4 cm) Acton
120. 1884.125.82 Small discoidal dark flint flake scraper (4 3/4 cm) Acton
121. 1884.125.83 More oval than 1884.125.82 scraper of greyish chert with shouldered wide nozzle (3 1/4) E Acton 13.5.69
122. 1884.125.84 Large thick dark brown red chert flake ?side scraper, subrectangular, narrow triangular cross section (10) Ap 1869 E Acton
123. 1884.125.85 Slipper-shaped red brown chert flake side scraper with slanting projection at butt (c 6) Ap 1869 E Acton
124. 1884.125.86 Suboval brown grey flake with one side bevelled (5 3/4) 10.7.69 E Acton
125. 1884.125.87 Smaller flake than 1884.125.86 ?end scraper, narrow with back ridge covered with cortex on one side (5) top soil 2.7.69 E Acton
126. 1884.125.88 Small brown grey subrectangular flake with hinge fracture at the end (6) 10.7.69 E Acton
127. 1884.125.89 Small narrow translucent brownish flat flake with serrated (?artificially) edge (4.8) Top soil 10.7.69 E Acton
128. 1884.125.161 Rough mottled yellow brown and grey flint celt, of same type as 1884.125.160 shorter and triangular sectioned (13 1/4) Found in sifting gravel in villa foundations E Acton 1869 This may be the one that Pitt Rivers mentioned finding himself when he was checking on workmen's veracity see other page
129. 1884.125.162 Similar orange celt with tongue-shaped edge, large conchoidal ?break on one side (c 15) Found in sifting gravel in villa foundations E Acton 26.2.69
130. 1884.132.29 1884.132.1 - 405 Stone Implements Flakes W Gallery 12th case - Blue-black and ochre flint flake, ?end scraper, of oval form with blunt nozzle at platform end partly ridged (8.8) High Terrace Gravel Acton Drift 27.10.70
131. 1884.132.30 Broad rounded subquadrangular thick flake with small shouldered projection at bulb end (c 6.8) Acton Drift
132. 1884.132.31 Orange thick flake of similar shape to 1884.132.30 with marked ridge, back curved point at bulb end (6.1) E Acton Drift 1.4.69
133. 1884.132.32 Broad ?side scraper, thin, of dark flint with cortex over most of the upper surface, curved hinge fracture at distal end (7 1/2) Drift Church Field Acton
134. 1884.132.329 Long flat pointed flake of dark honey-coloured flint, sinuous flat ridge, edges somewhat serrated (6.8) Acton June 1870 HT Gravels
135. 1884.133.226 1884.133.1 - 235 Stone Implements Worked Flakes Scrapers W Gallery Case 13 - Small subquadrangular grey flint end scraper with ?hollow scraper at the top (3.8) E Acton 1.5.69
136. 1884.140.156 .1-43 43 artefacts. Several fragments of bone were found in a box at Osney in fairly poor condition. Two fragments of jaw had numbers on them 3798 and 3797. It is not possible to identify which bone fragments belong to each other or whether there is additional objects in the same box. The box has written on its outside 'Skull fragments Acton May 19 1871 PR coll' and 'Fragments of skulls High Terrace gravel Acton May 19 1871 PR coll'. Inside was a loose label which says 'High Terrace Gravel. Acton. Found beneath 13 ft of sand and gravel resting on the London clay. May 19, 1871' and on back 'chemie'. Inside the lid it was written 'J. ..... sic unreadable Westminster.
137. 1884.140.560 Semi-circular flat stone object. Possibly half a spindle-whorl. 'Found 17ft on top of gravel. Jan 8th 1867'. The 'gravel' may refer to the Thames Gravel Terraces around Acton or the London Wall excavations but note that neither is not known for certain.

These artefacts are possibly related:

1884.122.355 Accession Book VI entry - 1884.122.1 - 597 Stone Implements Palaeolithic Period Flint unless otherwise stated - Biconvex pointed ovate with tongue-shaped point, flaked both sides, edge all round Thames Hammersmith Dec 1869 (10 1/2) [Drawing]

1884.122.383 Narrow orange subrectangular rolled flake, cortex near base, pointed at the end, worked along sides, lateral surfaces forming point are not patinated Drift Gravel on road (7 1/2) Battersea Rise 16.8.69 [Drawing]