NHER 29811 (Find Spot record) - Middle Palaeolithic handaxe, later prehistoric flints and Iron Age to Roman and medieval to post-medieval finds

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Summary

Metal-detecting between 1993 and 2015 recovered a Middle Palaeolithic handaxe; late prehistoric worked flint, including a Neolithic scraper; Roman pottery sherds; Roman, medieval and post medieval coins; medieval and post-medieval jettons and Iron Age to Roman and medieval to post-medieval metal objects. The metal finds include an ?Iron Age/?Roman small hand-crafted silver skull, possibly a pendant; a Roman copper alloy jug handle; a Late Saxon strap connector or strap link element; medieval to post-medieval dress accessories and lead weights; a medieval bell and a cast female head from a vessel handle; a medieval/post-medieval bell and sword belt hanger; a post-medieval spoon and furniture mount in the form of an acorn and a post-medieval/modern fob seal.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TG01SE
Civil Parish	MATTISHALL, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

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Full Description

March - April 1993. Metal-detecting.
Medieval sterling imitation coin, see list in file.
Identified by J. Davies (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 7 June 1993.

November-December 1993. Metal-detecting.
Tiny silver skull in the round. Not cast but hand-crafted to a high standard (note the row of teeth). Possibly once attached to a shank or chain at back of skull. Probably Iron Age or Roman.
See (S1).
Identified by J. Davies (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 2 March 1994.

January - February 1995. Metal-detecting.
5 Roman greyware sherds including one rim.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 9 June 1995.

March - April 1995. Metal-detecting.
14th century cast bronze female head, from vessel handle, 'escutcheon' with hole in back of head to take end of handle.
See (S2).
Identified by S. Margeson (NCM).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 26 August 1995.

July 2003. Metal detecting.
Site extended, three areas searched.
1 Roman, 2 medieval and 2 post-medieval coins.
Medieval and post medieval metal finds.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 26 October 2003.

September - October 2004. Metal detecting.
Four medieval coins.
Medieval jetton.
?Medieval and post medieval metal objects.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 8 November 2004.

March - April 2005. Metal detecting.
Medieval coin.
See list in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 9 May 2005.

Before 1 April 2008. Metal detecting.
1 Middle Palaeolithic cordate flint handaxe. See sketch (S2).
Neolithic scraper and prehistoric flakes.
Metal objects including incomplete Roman jug handle, medieval buckle frame, jetton and coin and a post-medieval lead standing weight.
Flints identified by P. Robins (NCM). See list and descriptions in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 21 May 2008. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 30 May 2013.

September-October 2015. Metal-detecting. [2].
Post-medieval hooked tag and a sword-belt hanger.
Information from PAS import.
A. Beckham (HES), 3 December 2015.

March 2024. Metal-detecting. [3].
Late Saxon strap connector or strap link element.
Information from PAS import.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 July 2025.

Associated Sources (3)

--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1> SNF51667 Photograph: NCC Find Identification and Recording Service. c. 1975-2000. HES Find Polaroid Collection. HES Find Polaroid Collection. polaroid. black and white. NCM.
<S2> SNF77434 Illustration: Robins, P. 2008. Sketch of a Middle Paleolithic handaxe from Mattishall. Paper. 1:1.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (9)

Object Types (27)

HANDAXE (Middle Palaeolithic - 150000 BC to 40001 BC)
FLAKE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
SCRAPER (TOOL) (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
FIGURINE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
FIGURINE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
JUG (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
STRAP FITTING (Late Saxon to Medieval - 1000 AD to 1100 AD)
BELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
BELL (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
JETTON (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
JETTON (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WEIGHT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
DRESS HOOK (Medieval to 16th Century - 1500 AD to 1600 AD)
SWORD BELT (Medieval to 17th Century - 1500 AD to 1630 AD)
BELL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
FURNITURE FITTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
JETTON (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
WEIGHT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
WEIGHT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

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Record last edited

Aug 9 2025 8:26PM