Neolithic bone shovels of Britain: replication and reflection of a neglected artefact type

Abstract

The earliest industrial monuments in Britain are the Neolithic flint mines, dating to around 4000 bce. These mining shafts, which tunnel deep into chalk geologies, evidence the extremes that ancient Britons were willing to resort to in order to obtain valuable raw materials. Numerous scholars, marvelling at the excavation processes and hand tools used to aid the extraction of flint, have studied the flint-mining industry. Recognition of a toolset including antler picks, scapula shovels and possibly woven baskets has led to multiple experiments into artefact replication and testing, with the least emphasis on the scapula shovel. This article explores the results of an experiment designed to bridge the gaps in the understanding of the scapula shovel, as well as active and future research aims, in an attempt to bring this neglected artefact type out of its current obscurity.