Please contact Special Collections if you are a subject of an item, or know a subject of an item, and have cultural or other reservations about an item being made available on this website and would like to discuss this with us.
This item can be used for study and personal research purposes. If you wish to reproduce this item for any other purpose please contact the University of Newcastle Library's Special Collections.
If you have any further information about the item, please contact us.
To open the 3D viewer click the cube icon in the grey toolbar 
Interact with the 3D object
Right Mouse Button:
- Drag the 3D object
Left Mouse Button:
- Rotate the 3D object
Mouse Scroll Wheel:
- Zoom in & out.
Stone Tool/PR09-SP0-C14
Hammerstone
This is complete Hammerstone was found on the surface of the dig in the western corner adjacent to C14. It weighs 596g and is made of water rolled Volcanic Tuff. Hammerstones are hard rock used to strike Cores to produce Flakes.
Length mm118.21Width mm73.45Height mm45.86MaterialStoneGeologyNobbys TuffPossible UseHammer StonesPit ColumnCPit Row14Dig LocationFormer Palais Royale site at 684 Hunter Street, Newcastle WestAge or Daten.d.Notes#1782 - N.B. this complete Hammerstone is identified as C14_SP0 and photographed on page 103 of the Lithics report. Found adjacent to C14Current OwnershipCultural • To the Awabakal people as an aspect of their cultural heritage and as part of continuing traditions;
• To the broader community, for educational, historical and cultural enrichment values; and
• To the scientific community for potential research value.
SignificanceScientificThe archaeological assemblage, along with the stratigraphic profile within the study area is considered to be highly to exceptionally scientific significant in terms of its heritage values.
Research Potential: The artefact assemblage recovered from the complex stratigraphy at this site is considered to be of high to exceptional research potential. There are few open sites in Australia that can demonstrate clear chronological stratigraphy in combination with a large artefact assemblage.
Condition/Integrity: The condition and integrity of the deposit was excellent. While bioturbation and vertical movement through insect and historical cultural activities was evident, especially in the upper spits, the artefact assemblage was generally well constrained within three specific occupation events.
Rarity: Archaeological sites that retain dateable material (and can therefore provide an age of the site) are rare. Activities within this site of collecting and discarding manuport from a local source is also not well documented in the archaeological literature and must be considered rare. The presence of stratigraphic archaeological materials with the potential for Pleistocene archaeology is rare in the local and regional contexts. The size of the assemblage along with its division through time into three occupation events is rarely found in open sites.