UNESCO World Heritage SiteUNESCO Heritage
United Kingdom

Oldbury rock shelters

Middle Palaeolithic rock shelters, Kent

Location

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Historical Context

About

The Oldbury rock shelters are a complex of Middle Palaeolithic sites situated on the slopes of Oldbury hillfort near Ightham in the English county of Kent. They were occupied by Mousterian flint tool manufacturers around 50,000 years ago and examples of their characteristic bout-coupé handaxes were found there during excavations in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The site is open to the public and owned by the National Trust.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Mousterian occupation

c. 50,000 years ago

Archaeological excavations

19th and 20th centuries

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Industrial and Craft Structures

Toolmakers’ Areas
category

Environmental and Natural Features

Rock Shelters
Knowledge Base

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Reference

Details

Country

United Kingdom

Coordinates

51.29° N, 0.27° E