218
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
figures. It was concluded that this base was probably of 15th century
workmanship.
Proceeding up the valley for a mile, a halt was again made at the
Bordeaux Gravel-pit. Here some time was spent and a short address
given by our President, Mr. William Whitaker. The piping of the gravel
by the infiltration of carbonated water with the removal of chalk and the
deposition of ferruginous clay was noted. Boulders of quartzite, canon-
shot gravel and other glacial debris were also examined.
Between Chesterford (the Roman station of Iceanum) and Ickleton,
Mr. George Morris pointed out the zonation of the valley-flora. The
succession was sedge, rush and meadow, which from narrow bands round
the spring head expand into rough rush, meadow and fen (as one proceeds
northward). At this point the expansion of the Juncus community was
very evident, but time did not allow for a detailed examination.
Driving through Ickleton, just over the county boundary into Cam-
bridgeshire, a dry valley was reached, along the sides of which extend
a series of artificial terraces known as "Lynchetts." These are
flat-topped grassy terraces cut one above the other into the slope of the
hill and extending nearly half-a-mile (formerly quite -J mile) along the
contour. Their purpose and age appear to be quite unknown, but they
are probably of pre-historic date. A tumulus occurs on the opposite hill,
half a mile distant. On the surface of the field above these terraces a
large number of Neolithic flakes occur, characterised by a dense white
patina which occasionally shows striation or scratching. Mr. Maynard
had submitted a series to Dr. Sturge in view of the present meeting. After
a number had been collected on the field, the party assembled on the
sloping bank and Mr. Maynard gave a short address dealing with these
implements.
Many of the specimens show resemblance of patina and surface to the
well-known "Grimes Graves" and "Cissbury" type, around the dating
of which discussion is still centred, but Dr. Sturge considers that they
also strongly resemble a series of flakes which he obtained from a "floor"
deposit in Suffolk, where they were associated with "dos rebattu" knives
and long thick scrapers of undoubted "Cave" age.
One iron-moulded core found at Coploe Hill was definitely accepted
by Dr. Sturge as dating from the "Cave" period, but he thought that
the majority of the specimens sent to him were of the early Neolithic period,
mainly coming into the heavily striated series called by him the "Old
Whites." The blue-and-white mottled patina also occurs, and cases of
re-chipping are found. No definite implements such as the "Cissbury"
axe have yet been secured, but several cores with a striking platform at
both ends and numerous flakes ranging from two to four inches in length
and one to three wide, trimmed or truncated so as to form a sharp and
almost leaf-shaped point, seem to be the dominant form in the collection.
Certain specimens leave no doubt that this form was intentionally pro-
duced and had a definite use. There are also small blocks of flint covered
with steep-sided chipping strongly suggestive of a rough form of "Tarte
plane," a well known tool found in the Aurignacian period cave deposits.
Other series recalling "bec de perroquet" forms of the cave period occur
and a multitude of roughly chipped waste flakes.