Big enough to matter: on the frequency and chronology of giant handaxes in the British Lower Palaeolithic (2024)
Journal Article
Dale, L., Rawlinson, A., Knowles, P., Foulds, F., Ashton, N., Bridgland, D., & White, M. (2024). Big enough to matter: on the frequency and chronology of giant handaxes in the British Lower Palaeolithic. Antiquity, 98(398), 305-322. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2024.30

Hypertrophic ‘giant’ handaxes are a rare component of Acheulean assemblages, yet have been central to debates relating to the social, cognitive and cultural ‘meaning’ of these enigmatic tools. The authors examine giant handaxes from the perspective o... Read More about Big enough to matter: on the frequency and chronology of giant handaxes in the British Lower Palaeolithic.

Mid-Late Quaternary Fluvial Archives near the Margin of the MIS 12 Glaciation in Southern East Anglia, UK: Amalgamation of Multi-Disciplinary and Citizen-Science Data Sources (2022)
Journal Article
Allen, P., Bain, D., Bridgland, D., Buisson, P., Buylaert, J., Bynoe, R., …White, T. (2022). Mid-Late Quaternary Fluvial Archives near the Margin of the MIS 12 Glaciation in Southern East Anglia, UK: Amalgamation of Multi-Disciplinary and Citizen-Science Data Sources. Quaternary, 5(3), https://doi.org/10.3390/quat5030037

This paper presents an updated geological reconstruction of the Quaternary evolution of the River Thames at its downstream extremities, close to the North Sea coast, based on new data from multi-disciplinary and citizen-science sources. In this area,... Read More about Mid-Late Quaternary Fluvial Archives near the Margin of the MIS 12 Glaciation in Southern East Anglia, UK: Amalgamation of Multi-Disciplinary and Citizen-Science Data Sources.

Flake tools in the European Lower Paleolithic: A case study from MIS 9 Britain (2022)
Journal Article
Rawlinson, A., Dale, L., Ashton, N., Bridgland, D., & White, M. (2022). Flake tools in the European Lower Paleolithic: A case study from MIS 9 Britain. Journal of Human Evolution, 165, Article 103153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103153

Studies of flake tools in the British Lower Paleolithic are rare owing to lower quantities of flake tools than handaxes and the perception that flake tool technology became more important in the succeeding Middle Paleolithic. In Britain, and Europe m... Read More about Flake tools in the European Lower Paleolithic: A case study from MIS 9 Britain.

The value of English geoconservation sites in understanding historical collections of lower and middle palaeolithic artefacts (2021)
Journal Article
Dale, L., Rawlinson, A., Bridgland, D., & White, M. (2021). The value of English geoconservation sites in understanding historical collections of lower and middle palaeolithic artefacts. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2021.06.008

Lower and Middle Paleolithic archaeological sites in England risk falling through the cracks between different types of heritage conservation, since they lack recognisable structures; these sites have often benefitted from protection under geoconserv... Read More about The value of English geoconservation sites in understanding historical collections of lower and middle palaeolithic artefacts.

Twisted handaxes in Middle Pleistocene Britain and their implications for regional-scale cultural variation and the deep history of Acheulean hominin groups (2019)
Journal Article
White, M., Ashton, N., & Bridgland, D. (2019). Twisted handaxes in Middle Pleistocene Britain and their implications for regional-scale cultural variation and the deep history of Acheulean hominin groups. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 85, 61-81. https://doi.org/10.1017/ppr.2019.1

A better understood chronological framework for the Middle Pleistocene of Britain has enabled archaeologists to detect a number of temporally-restricted assemblage-types, based not on ‘culture historical’ schemes of typological progression but on ind... Read More about Twisted handaxes in Middle Pleistocene Britain and their implications for regional-scale cultural variation and the deep history of Acheulean hominin groups.

Fluvial deposits as an archive of early human activity: progress during the 20 years of the Fluvial Archives Group (2017)
Journal Article
Chauhan, P., Bridgland, D., Moncel, M., Antoine, P., Bahain, J., Briant, R., …White, T. (2017). Fluvial deposits as an archive of early human activity: progress during the 20 years of the Fluvial Archives Group. Quaternary Science Reviews, 166, 114-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2017.03.016

Fluvial sedimentary archives are important repositories for Lower and Middle Palaeolithic artefacts throughout the ‘Old World’, especially in Europe, where the beginning of their study coincided with the realisation that early humans were of great an... Read More about Fluvial deposits as an archive of early human activity: progress during the 20 years of the Fluvial Archives Group.

Well-dated fluvial sequences as templates for patterns of handaxe distribution: understanding the record of Acheulean activity in the Thames and its correlatives (2017)
Journal Article
White, M., Bridgland, D., Schreve, D., White, T., & Penkman, K. (2018). Well-dated fluvial sequences as templates for patterns of handaxe distribution: understanding the record of Acheulean activity in the Thames and its correlatives. Quaternary International, 480, 118-131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2017.03.049

The use of Acheulean (handaxe) typology as a cultural and temporal marker has been a topic of controversy in recent decades, with many archaeologists continuing to reject such an approach out of hand. Much of the controversy stems, however, from diff... Read More about Well-dated fluvial sequences as templates for patterns of handaxe distribution: understanding the record of Acheulean activity in the Thames and its correlatives.

Chronological variations in handaxes: patterns detected from fluvial archives in north-west Europe (2015)
Journal Article
Bridgland, D., & White, M. (2015). Chronological variations in handaxes: patterns detected from fluvial archives in north-west Europe. Journal of Quaternary Science, 30(7), 623-638. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.2805

The use of handaxe morphology as a cultural and temporal marker within the Quaternary Lower–Middle Palaeolithic record has had a very chequered history, and abuses in the past have led recent generations of archaeologist to reject it out of hand. In... Read More about Chronological variations in handaxes: patterns detected from fluvial archives in north-west Europe.

The use of uplift modelling in the reconstruction of drainage development and landscape evolution in the repeatedly glaciated Trent catchment, English Midlands, UK (2015)
Journal Article
Westaway, R., Bridgland, D., White, T., Howard, A., & White, M. (2015). The use of uplift modelling in the reconstruction of drainage development and landscape evolution in the repeatedly glaciated Trent catchment, English Midlands, UK. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 126(4-5), 480-521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2015.06.005

The Trent Valley Palaeolithic Project has recently investigated the Quaternary evolution of the River Trent, the northernmost river system in western Europe with a documented long-timescale terrace staircase. The uppermost and lowermost reaches of th... Read More about The use of uplift modelling in the reconstruction of drainage development and landscape evolution in the repeatedly glaciated Trent catchment, English Midlands, UK.

Quaternary of the Trent (2014)
Book
Bridgland, D., Howard, A., White, M., & White, T. (2014). Quaternary of the Trent. Oxbow Books

Fluvial archives as a framework for the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic: patterns of British artefact distribution and potential chronological implications (2014)
Journal Article
Bridgland, D., & White, M. (2014). Fluvial archives as a framework for the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic: patterns of British artefact distribution and potential chronological implications. Boreas: An International Journal of Quaternary Research, 43(2), 543-555. https://doi.org/10.1111/bor.12059

With the adoption of an ‘expanded chronology’ for the Middle Pleistocene, based on the greater number of warm and cold episodes evident in the marine oxygen isotope record from deep ocean cores, has come the recognition of a meaningful progression of... Read More about Fluvial archives as a framework for the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic: patterns of British artefact distribution and potential chronological implications.

An enhanced record of MIS 9 environments, geochronology and geoarchaeology: data from construction of the High Speed 1 (London–Channel Tunnel) rail-link and other recent investigations at Purfleet, Essex, UK (2013)
Journal Article
Bridgland, D., Harding, P., Allen, P., Candy, I., Cherry, C., George, W., …Whittaker, J. (2013). An enhanced record of MIS 9 environments, geochronology and geoarchaeology: data from construction of the High Speed 1 (London–Channel Tunnel) rail-link and other recent investigations at Purfleet, Essex, UK. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 124(3), 417-476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2012.03.006

New data from the complex Lower Thames locality at Purfleet, Essex, reinforce the correlation of interglacial deposits there with Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 9, the second of four post-Anglian (MIS 12) interglacials recorded in the river-terrace seque... Read More about An enhanced record of MIS 9 environments, geochronology and geoarchaeology: data from construction of the High Speed 1 (London–Channel Tunnel) rail-link and other recent investigations at Purfleet, Essex, UK.

Evidence from the Trent terrace archive, Lincolnshire, UK, for lowland glaciation of Britain during the Middle and Late Pleistocene. (2010)
Journal Article
White, T., Bridgland, D., Westaway, R., Howard, A., & White, M. (2010). Evidence from the Trent terrace archive, Lincolnshire, UK, for lowland glaciation of Britain during the Middle and Late Pleistocene. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 121(2), 141-153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2010.05.001

The late Middle Pleistocene fluvial terrace sequence of the lower Trent system, Lincolnshire (eastern England), provides an excellent record of environmental change, including evidence for the last two interglacial episodes. It also provides importan... Read More about Evidence from the Trent terrace archive, Lincolnshire, UK, for lowland glaciation of Britain during the Middle and Late Pleistocene..

Palaeolithic and Quaternary research in the Trent Valley (UK) : contributions by early collectors. (2009)
Journal Article
White, T., White, M., Bridgland, D., & Howard, A. (2009). Palaeolithic and Quaternary research in the Trent Valley (UK) : contributions by early collectors. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 120(4), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2009.08.010

A brief history is presented here of the activities of the three most notable collectors of Lower and Middle Palaeolithic artefacts from Quaternary river terrace deposits in the Trent Valley, derived from archival material that has been largely ignor... Read More about Palaeolithic and Quaternary research in the Trent Valley (UK) : contributions by early collectors..

Fluvial deposits as an archive of early human activity (2007)
Journal Article
Mishra, S., White, M., Beaumont, P., Antoine, P., Bridgland, D., Limondin-Lozouet, N., …White, T. (2007). Fluvial deposits as an archive of early human activity. Quaternary Science Reviews, 26(22-24), 2996-3016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2007.06.035

River terraces are well established as an important source of Lower and Middle Palaeolithic artefacts in Europe, large collections having been assembled there during the years of manual gravel extraction. Now that many terrace sequences can be reliab... Read More about Fluvial deposits as an archive of early human activity.

The British Pleistocene fluvial archive: East Midlands drainage evolution and human occupation in the context of the British and NW European record (2007)
Journal Article
Howard, A., Bridgland, D., Knight, D., McNabb, J., Rose, J., Schreve, D., …White, T. (2007). The British Pleistocene fluvial archive: East Midlands drainage evolution and human occupation in the context of the British and NW European record. Quaternary Science Reviews, 26(22-24), 2724-2737. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2007.06.029

This paper reviews the Pleistocene evolution and human occupation of the River Trent, the major fluvial artery draining Midland Britain, and places it within a modern Quaternary context. In contrast to the sedimentary records of the River Thames and... Read More about The British Pleistocene fluvial archive: East Midlands drainage evolution and human occupation in the context of the British and NW European record.

The Quaternary uplift history of central southern England: evidence from the terraces of the Solent River system and nearby raised beaches (2006)
Journal Article
Westaway, R., Bridgland, D., & White, M. (2006). The Quaternary uplift history of central southern England: evidence from the terraces of the Solent River system and nearby raised beaches. Quaternary Science Reviews, 25(17-18), 2212-2250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2005.06.005

We have used fluvial (Solent River system) and marine terraces to reconstruct the uplift history of central southern England. In the case of the former, we make the assumption that fluvial incision has been a direct response to surface uplift, with i... Read More about The Quaternary uplift history of central southern England: evidence from the terraces of the Solent River system and nearby raised beaches.

The Palaeolithic occupation of Europe as revealed by evidence from the rivers: data from IGCP 449 (2006)
Journal Article
Bridgland, D., Antoine, P., Limondin-Lozouet, N., Santisteban, J., Westaway, R., & White, M. (2006). The Palaeolithic occupation of Europe as revealed by evidence from the rivers: data from IGCP 449. Journal of Quaternary Science, 21(5), 437-455. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.1042

IGCP 449 (2000-2004), seeking to correlate fluvial records globally, has compiled a dataset of archaeological records from Pleistocene fluvial sequences. Many terrace sequences can now be reliably dated and correlated with marine oxygen isotope stage... Read More about The Palaeolithic occupation of Europe as revealed by evidence from the rivers: data from IGCP 449.

A long Quaternary terrace sequence in the Orontes River valley, Syria: a record of uplift and of human occupation (2003)
Journal Article
Bridgland, D., Philip, G., Westaway, R., & White, M. (2003). A long Quaternary terrace sequence in the Orontes River valley, Syria: a record of uplift and of human occupation. Current Science, 84(8), 1080-1089

Sedimentology, palaeontology and archaeology of late Middle Pleistocene River Thames terrace deposits at Purfleet, Essex, UK (2002)
Journal Article
Schreve, D., Bridgland, D., Allen, P., Blackford, J., Gleed-Owen, C., Griffiths, H., …White, M. (2002). Sedimentology, palaeontology and archaeology of late Middle Pleistocene River Thames terrace deposits at Purfleet, Essex, UK. Quaternary Science Reviews, 21(12-13), 1423-1464. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0277-3791%2801%2900100-7

Middle Pleistocene fluvial deposits of the Corbets Tey Formation at Purfleet, Essex, provide evidence of an un-named and previously poorly recognized interglacial, thought to corrrelate with Oxygen Isotope Stage (OIS) 9. Previous attributions of the... Read More about Sedimentology, palaeontology and archaeology of late Middle Pleistocene River Thames terrace deposits at Purfleet, Essex, UK.