A re-evaluation of the timing of the earliest reported human occupation of Britain: the age of the sediments at Happisburgh, eastern England

摘要: Lower Palaeolithic artefacts have been reported at Happisburgh, north Norfolk, in sediments that assigned to the late Early Pleistocene, either marine isotope stage (MIS) 25 or 21, using magnetostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and clast lithology. However, proposal these were deposited by ancestral River Thames is inconsistent both with established Pleistocene palaeogeography of region dispositions contemporaneous terraces. The Happisburgh deposits evidently emplaced a local river, which reworked older from their lithology had derived largely Bytham rather than catchment. Nonetheless, potential significance this sedimentary succession for early human dispersal behaviour requires conservative assessment its youngest possible age. Although basal part clearly there nothing preclude an Middle age overlying yielded mammalian biostratigraphic evidence. It indeed arguable date cooling transition end MIS 15c, are thus younger artefact-bearing Pakefield. Pending availability additional dating evidence, future discussion site should be qualified respect any claim occupation indicated.