The Palaeolithic Rivers of South-West Britain: Findspot and Artefact Databases

The findspot database is organised into 5 main tables:

> Sites - describing the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic findspots in the south-west region. Data fields are:
Map Reference (the Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project (SRPP) findspot code)
New Findspots? (indicates whether the findspot was previously documented by the Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project. In some instances it is difficult to definitely identify a findspot as 'New' or not, hence the categories of 'Yes', 'Yes?', 'No?', and 'No'. These uncertainties are also documented in the Comments field)
Coordinates (Ordnance Survey National Grid Reference)
2nd Coordinate (a second Ordinance Survey National Grid Reference for findspots that are linear in shape: e.g. artefacts recovered along a cliff-top)
* County (County of the findspot)
* Precision (the accuracy of the site location description)
Location (findspot location)
Geology (type of geology associated with the findspot)
BGS Mapsheets (BGS mapsheet types and numbers associated with the findspot)
Context (findspot context)
Comments (additional comments)

> Artefacts - describing the type and number of artefacts associated with each findspot. Data fields are:
SRPP Code (the Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project (SRPP) findspot code)
HandAxes (the number of handaxes. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Retouched Flakes (the number of retouched flakes. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Flakes (the number of flakes. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Scrapers (the number of scrapers. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Blades (the number of blades. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Levallois Flakes (the number of Levallois flakes. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Levallois Cores (the number of Levallois cores. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Tortoise Cores (the number of tortoise cores. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Miscellaneous (the number of miscellaneous artefacts. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Rought-Outs (the number of rough-outs. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Cores (the number of cores. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Cleavers (the number of cleavers. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Flaked Nodule (the number of flaked nodules. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Chopper Cores (the number of chopper cores. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Total (the total number of artefacts. NB An entry of 999 indicates that artefacts of this type are present but that the exact number is unknown)
Comments (additional comments)

> Site Museum - listing the museum(s) and private collection(s) holding the artefacts from each of the findspots. Data fields are:
Site (the Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project (SRPP) findspot code)
* MuseumCode (the code entry for the museum or private collection in which the artefacts are held)

> Sites HER - listing the Historic Environment Record (HER) and the HER reference(S) for each of the findspots. Data fields are:
Site (the Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project (SRPP) findspot code)
HER Reference (the HER reference(s) for each of the findspots)
* HER Code (the code entry for the HER)

> Site References - listing the reference(s) (including page references) for each of the findspots. Data fields are:
Site (the Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project (SRPP) findspot code)
* Reference (the code entry for reference(s) for each of the findspots)
Pages (the page references)

* All these data fields utilise code tables. The relationships are documented in Microsoft Access (under Tools > Relationships... menu) and are summarised here. The relationships table is also included on the ADS Site as the Findspot_Relationships.png file. The key code tables and links are listed below:

> County (codes and definitions are listed in the Countycode table)
> Precision (codes and definitions are listed in the PrecisionCode table)
> MuseumCode (codes and definitions are listed in the MuseumCode table)
> HER (codes and definitions are listed in the HERCode table)
> Reference (codes and the full references are listed in the Reference table)

The Artefact database is organised into 1 main table:

> Museum Collection - describing the artefacts recorded within the project. Data fields are:
Artefact Identification (SRPP No) (the code for the Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project (SRPP) findspot, where known)
Site (site description associated with the artefact)
Location (context or co-ordinate location of the findspot, where known)
County (county of the artefact, where known)
Finder/collector (finder/collector of the artefact, where known)
Collection Date (date of the collection, where known)
Finder/collector location (home/place of work of the collector/finder)
Museum (museum where the artefact is held)
Accession No (museum accession number)
Accession Date (museum accession date)
Artefact Category (artefact type)
Handaxe Type (handaxe type, where relevant)
Broken? (artefact broken or not)
Raw Material Type (raw material)
Blank Form (artefact blank form, where known)
* Artefact Condition (artefact condition, using Wymer's (1968) classification for fluvial abrasion)
Length (cm) (artefact length, in cm)
Thickness (cm) (artefact thickness, in cm)
Weight (g) (artefact weight, in grams)
Bibliographical Reference (reference(s) to the artefact, where known)
Comments (additional comments)
Photograph (reference to the artefact photograph file names: cross-reference against the photographic archive .JPG files)

* All these data fields utilise code tables. The relationships are documented in Microsoft Access (under Tools > Relationships... menu) and are summarised here. The key code table and link is listed below:

> Artefact Condition (codes and definitions are listed in the Artefact Condition Code table)

The artefact database photographic archive is a sampled selection of .JPG images (not all of the photographs listed in the Artefact database are included on the ADS site). The file-names are listed in the Photograph field of the Artefact database. The artefacts illustrated on the ADS site are currently held by the following museums:

Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery (all artefact photographic files prefaced Bri...)
Dorset County Museum, Dorchester (all artefact photographic files prefaced Dor...)
Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery (all artefact photographic files prefaced Ply...)
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, Exeter (all artefact photographic files prefaced Ex...)
Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro (all artefact photographic files prefaced Corn...)
Somerset Museum, Taunton (all artefact photographic files prefaced Tau...)
Torquay Museum (all artefact photographic files prefaced Tor...)