Brown's Bay, Mesolithic site 2

Two Mesolithic sites were found by a team from Newcastle University, on a training diving session for the Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes Project in August 2003. This site, on the edge of the inner reef, 8 metres below sea level comprised of a basal segment of obliquely pointed microlith (2.5cm), a large thick blade (5.8cm), a large core with blade removals (4.5 metres), a flat patinated scraper (4 x 3.3cm), three scrapers, a small scraper/retouched flake, a large chunky blade with cortex (7cm), small scraper/retouched flake and a blade segment. 14 probable retouched flakes/blades, 8 possible retouched pieces, 2 flint nodules, 1 quartz flake. The depth correlates with the early Mesolithic coastline and the material is clearly early Mesolithic (or possibly even earlier). The blade size suggests the possibility of a LUP date. The microlith basal segment supports an early Mesolithic date. The assemblage includes a variety of different raw material. Some is very fresh, although others have been water-rolled. Some of the material had been exposed relatively recently from possible stratified sites eg. By lobster action (several lobster burrows near to this location).