English: Lower Palaeolithic, Acheulean, bifaced ovate flint hand axe. The hand axe is oval, with the point end slightly narrower than the butt and the thickest area about 2/3rds of the way down. It is symmetrical in plan and profile with a slightly reverse S shape to the edge. The axe is completely covered in shallow flake removal scars with evidence for more precise retouch around some edges and possibly the removal of a tranchet sharpening flake from one side of the point. There is modern damage to one face at the point where a chip has been lost. The lower part of both edges may have the remainder of blunting retouch and the butt has either been lost to a moden break. There is an area of cortext remaining one one side covering c.5% of the surface. The surface has some white to pale grey weathering with iron staining and the flint underneath is pale-mid grey. Such hand axes were in widespread use from c.600,000 to 245,000 years ago in Britain although most finds date from 500-300,000 years ago corresponding to a period of warmer climate. They were produced by the hominid species Homo heidelbergensis. It has been suggested ovate hand axes were used more for cutting like a knife rather than as an axe. The findspot suggests it comes from the smae deposits as produced the Boxgrove site and it has been examined by Matt Pope who indicated it was similar in appearence and patination to finds from that site which dated to c.500,000 years ago.