NHER 69602 (Find Spot record) - Potentially Palaeolithic and post-medieval to modern finds (North Sea, poorly located)

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Summary

Between 2007 and 2023 a number of objects were recovered from mixed loads of dredged aggregate that included material from more than one Licence Area within the East Coast Dredging Region. These poorly-located finds include a prehistoric flint flake; a potentially Palaeolithic animal bone fragment; a post-medieval ship's log; a post-medieval/modern weight or rigging component; a World War Two German flare pistol and the baseplate of a modern (20th-century) naval shell.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	Not recorded
Civil Parish	NORTH SEA, -, NORFOLK

Map

No mapped location recorded.

Full Description

This record details poorly-located objects known to have been recovered as a result of off-shore dredging within the East Coast Region but which cannot be tied to a specific Licence Area. These discoveries were reported to English Heritage/Historic England through the Marine Aggregate Industry Protocol for Reporting Finds of Archaeological Interest. See (S1) and (S2) for further information on the Protocol.

Pre 3 July 2008. Off-shore Dredging.
Found at Greenwich Wharf, amongst a small stockpile of reject material likely to be derived from one of the East Coast Region Licence Areas:
1 prehistoric flint flake.
See Discovery Report (S11) and reporting protocol annual report (S8) for further details. This was one of several flint artefacts featured in the Autumn 2017 issue of the protocol's newsletter (S9).
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 27 July 2021. Off-shore Dredging.
Found on board Hanson's Arco Avon amongst material from either Licence Area 361 (NHER 59967) or Licence Area 401/2 (NHER 61441):
1 modern brass ship log rotator. Most likely an accidental loss.
See Discovery Report (S3) and reporting protocol annual report (S4) for further details. This object was featured in the Autumn 2021 issue of the protocol's newsletter (S10).
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 9 March 2022. Off-shore Dredging.
Found on board Hanson's Arco Avon amongst material from either Licence Area 361 (NHER 59967) or Licence Area 401/2 (NHER 61441):
1 ?Palaeolithic animal bone fragment. From a large mammal but not closely identifiable.
1 post-medieval/modern unidentified metal object with rounded top and protruding loop. Possibly a weight or rigging component.
1 modern baseplate from naval shell. Possibly from a 'Star Shell' illumination round.
See Discovery Report (S5) and reporting protocol annual report (S6) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Pre 1 November 2023. Off-shore Dredging.
Dagenham Wharf, amongst material from either Licence Area 240 (NHER 51516) or Licence Area 401/2b (NHER 61441):
1 World War Two German flare pistol. Although this model of pistol was first adopted into service in 1926 it was most likely lost or discarded by German aircrew during World War Two.
See Discovery Report (S7) for further details. Associated annual report awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 November 2025.

Associated Sources (11)

<S1> SNF94025 Unpublished Document: BMAPA and English Heritage. 2003. Marine Aggregate Dredging and the Historic Environment. Assessing, evaluating, mitigating and monitoring the archaeological effects of marine aggregate dredging.
<S10> SNF103265 Serial: Wessex Archaeology. 2021. Dredged Up - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter. Issue 29 Autumn 2021. p 3.
<S11> SNF103310 Unpublished Document: BMAPA and English Heritage. 2008. BMAPA and English Heritage Discovery Report UMA_0182_a.
<S2> SNF94026 Unpublished Document: BMAPA and English Heritage. 2005. Protocol for reporting finds of archaeological interest.
<S3> SNF103172 Unpublished Document: BMAPA and English Heritage. 2021. BMAPA and English Heritage Discovery Report Hanson_1005.
<S4> SNF103234 Unpublished Report: Wessex Archaeology. 2021. British Marine Aggregate Producers Association, English Heritage and The Crown Estate: Marine Industry Protocol for the Reporting of Finds of Archaeological Interest. Annual Report to BMAPA 2020-2021.
<S5> SNF103179 Unpublished Document: BMAPA and English Heritage. 2022. BMAPA and English Heritage Discovery Report Hanson_1026.
<S6> SNF103235 Unpublished Report: Wessex Archaeology. 2023. British Marine Aggregate Producers Association, English Heritage and The Crown Estate: Marine Industry Protocol for the Reporting of Finds of Archaeological Interest. Annual Report to BMAPA 2021-2022.
<S7> SNF103236 Unpublished Report: Wessex Archaeology. 2024. British Marine Aggregate Producers Association, English Heritage and The Crown Estate: Marine Industry Protocol for the Reporting of Finds of Archaeological Interest. Annual Report to BMAPA 2022-2023.
<S8> SNF94029 Unpublished Report: Wessex Archaeology. 2008. Protocol for reporting finds of archaeological interest. Annual Report to BMAPA 2007-2008.
<S9> SNF103257 Serial: Wessex Archaeology. 2017. Dredged Up - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter. Issue 21 Autumn 2017. p 5.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (6)

Object Types (6)

ANIMAL REMAINS (Palaeolithic - 1000000 BC? to 10001 BC?)
FLAKE (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT / WEIGHT / RIGGING SPACER (Post Medieval to Late 20th Century - 1540 AD to 2000 AD)
AMMUNITION (20th Century - 1901 AD to 2000 AD)
SHIPS LOG (20th Century - 1901 AD to 2000 AD)
PISTOL (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Jan 12 2026 12:44AM