Partnership seed-funded project – Making a point: early wood technologies of the British Isles

The main aim of this project, supported by partnership seed-funding, was to record and analyse the ‘Clacton spear point in three dimensions using a variety of state-of the-art imaging techniques, and interpret the internal and external features to better understand the object’s ‘biography’. Discovered in Clacton-on-Sea in 1911, the spear point (now on permanent display in the Human Evolution Gallery) is an important artefact, representing what is thought to be the world’s earliest weapon, but it has not been assessed using modern techniques.

The team, which included the University of Reading Archaeology Department’s Annemieke Milks, and NHM Centre for Human Evolution Research (CHER)’s Silvia Bello. Simon Parfitt, and Lucile Crete, undertook standard microscopy, 3D microscopy using the Alicona G5+, micro-Computed Tomography (HMX-ST 225 CT system), and 3D scanning (Artec Space Spider). They also created CT scans and a model of the earliest cast made to track and understand the post-excavation alterations to the artefact.

Initial results indicate internal features showing that the hominins who made the Clacton spear point were aware of the wood’s material properties, bearing similarities of design to later wooden spears from Germany. The standard and 3D microscopy coupled with micro-Computed tomography together show how the hominins had specific strategies for shaping the tool.

The team is also undertaking archival research to better contextualise the find spot in order to test its age attribution to Marine Isotope Stage 11, or ca. 400,000 years ago. The analysis and images are currently being prepared to submit as a journal article in summer 2025.

Seed-Funding is available to support the development of collaborative projects to be undertaken by researchers at the University of Reading and the Natural History Museum.