Collectors' Corner: Clacton's Bazaar (Bizarre) Modern EBayPalaeolithic [Update]

UK EBay seller emilbal-y0jmlc4z (314) from Clacton-on-Sea in Essex is challenged by punctuation and spelling, and has problems walking across a gravel beach, he keeps seeing animals, but he has decided to profit from his ability:

Here a[re] two Upper Paleolithic Portable Zoomorphic Rock Art stones. The first example on the left of picture one Resembles a rhino, which has been worked in a toffee coloured flint. The second example looks to be a cow or similar type of animal. These were discovered within deep north sea bed dredge material that was dredged from an area of the northseabed that was land at the end of the last ice age. Known as northsealand this area of land is bigger than the UK and once connected to Europe via a landbridge. Early humans lived here hunting woolly mammoths woolly rhinos and pygmy hippos to name just a few. Evidence of there (sic) lives have been discovered within the dredge material including fine flint tools rock art pottery and worked bone. Also masses of animal bones and teeth. At the end of the last ice the ice caps began to melt due to climate change this caused northsealand to melt which slowly became submerged the remaining land was devastated by a mega tsunami approxamately 8,000 years ago.

I wrote about this seller before, but there was (as usual) no reaction from the archaeological community and the seller is still very active. They've got many more items on sale right now - ten at the moment, including:

Who Needs Experts? Pseudolithics and the Public Past in Britain

Babylonokia

I thought that instead of hiding this away in the comments to a post from April 2019 ('Collectors' Corner: Clacton's Bazaar (Bizarre) Modern EBayPalaeolithic', PACHI Saturday, 13 April 2019), I'd make a post on it. The topic seems to have important implications. For some time now I've been interesting in the word of stone tool collectors as another side to collection-driven exploitation of the archaeological record - it's not just "metal detecting". In the course of this, one finds that a considerable quantity of items are being offered online by sellers as lithic tools and artefacts that are clearly nothing of the kind. Surprisingly, this includes at least one of the major auction houses selling such things in the UK. But it is most prevalent in peer-to-peer sales among collectors. In the post mentioned above, I look at the sales offers of two individuals who've been picking stuff up from a beach I am very familiar with that they describe as all kinds of fanciful things, except what they in many cases are. Pebbles. In the process, these two have made a lot of money from selling to gullible buyers completely worthless rocks. They have discovered that they can do this and it is apparently as easy as taking candy from kids. I would say, given what is actually involved here, taking advantage of ignorance is at least of dubious morality. 

In the post I ask where are the Portable Antiquities Scheme and British archaeologists in this procedure? ("in the case of the former: "Surely they are there to share archaeological information and educate the wider public on the difference between artefacts and odd-shaped stones"). I think we have part of the answer in the comments I received from an anonymous reader. I assume that this is either the eBay seller emilbal-y0jmlc4z or their local rival dvdad123_7 mentioned in the post who could not work out how to put their name on the comment.

From the comments (reproduced below with the original spelling and punctuation), first of all it emerges that this finder is relieved that he does not have to interact with the past FLO for the area (not that I'd blame him from the experience I and, earlier, my colleagues had with her). Anonymous says:

Since the beaches of Clacton and Holland on sea uk were recharged there has been a great deal of artifacts discovered here. These include many lithics and mobiliary artifacts sadly pas do not currently alnowledge such artifacts apart from the lithics even when a mass of typological repetition is displayed this does not deem them not to be artifacts,it is a simple case of pas having little to compare such finds to therefore using such words as pariedolia or natural is an easier option than trying to explain what they clearly are not ready for. which also seems to be the case here for you paul it looks as of you are more concerned about the profit made from such sales of artifacts rather than the possibility of artifacts been aknowledged your view sways between sensitive sands and punctuation issues! [...] what was your aim in posting such a mish mash which will only confuse the pas/archaeologists more lol [emoticon] [emoticon] Oh one more note paul: not all pioneers are immaculate with there punctuation" [...] Do you personnaly believe that such mobiliary artifacts are discovered on these recharged beaches, other than lithics or are you swayed by the lack of relevant terminology used which has clearly detracted from the artifacts themselves.

Hmmm. Here we apparently have a member of the public who sees their "common sense" interpretations as superior to what the experts are telling them. This is a prime example of the current trend in Britain (and not only) to deprecate expertise, to denounce scholarship. We see the same thing in the anti-vax movement, Covid-scepticism, the baying Brexiters, and we see it among UK (and not only) "metal detectorists" and artefact collectors. "What do they know?" is their mantra, coupled with a deep suspicion that there is some kind of a conspiracy to enable a "Them" to "control us and the way we think and act".  

It may be inferred from this that this member of the public has already been told that their identification of these pebbles as "Palaeolithic portable rock art" is a case of pareidolia and that the shapes they see in them are entirely natural. Possibly some attempt was (I hope) made to demonstrate to them in an understandable way what features of those items leads to such a conclusion. 

The problem is that the finder simply rejects that explanation as being less exciting than their own narrative (punctuation and spelling partially corrected here): 

"PAS do not currently acknowledge such artefacts [...] even when a mass of typological repetition is displayed; thus do not deem them not to be artefacts. It is a simple case of PAS having little to compare such finds to, therefore using such words as pareidolia or natural is an easier option than trying to explain what they clearly are not ready for. [This] also seems to be the case here for you Paul."

I cannot speak for the PAS. I have no idea what they are up to. But since the writer refers to my "case" I can say what I think.

First of all typological repetition, that is confirmation bias. Parts of the beach at Clacton-on-Sea are covered by a spread of pebbles and shingle. If you walk over tens of thousands of them picking out individual ones that conform to a certain criterion of colour, shape, texture, barnacle infestation or whatever, it is a false argument to present them as an assemblage that has 'typological repetition'. They are a selection made on the grounds of conforming to particular characteristics.

Lack of comparanda. To some extent, this is not true. Textbooks and academic literature as well as popular works in at least three different disciplines are full of pictures of Palaeolithic art, including quite a large body of mobile art (sculptures). Many sites have been excavated with archaeologists keeping a keen lookout for anything a bit 'odd' about the stones found, but there is nothing even reminiscent of the "Clacton Beach Pebble Art" in archaeological/palaeontological publications (I would be entertained to be corrected there). 

A problem here is that "Anonymous" reckons him-or-herself to be a (self-taught?) "pioneer" in this field. It would be interesting to know what field they see this as. In the field of lithic technology, the pioneers were in the nineteenth century, with more advanced techniques, 1960s and 1970s. Portable art again nineteenth century and early 20th century. 

I've looked at the items presented online for sale by these two individuals (neither account seems to be active at present) and, even if the photos are set up to suggest the animal or human form the finder (says he-or-she) "sees", it is not apparent to me why these items are not just natural stones. In fact, in the majority of cases, even with the best will it is difficult to see the claimed shape in the "if you hold it at this angle with some raking light, you can see..." description. It's not there. None has anything that looks like toolmarks, the shapes of these items are often such that they clearly cannot have been formed by grinding manually to achieve such a form. None have more than random flakes that have anything like enough of the characteristics of stone-knapping to qualify. 

The question arises whether these two finders have done any research (online or in those papery-things-called-books) about the characteristics of flint tools. Have they any experience themselves of bashing two stones together and learning about flaking angles, platforms, the characteristics of struck flakes? Have they done any experimental grinding to replicate the man-made objects they claim to be finding (a stone softer than flint on a concrete slab would give the general idea of what is possible and what is not)? My guess is that they've done neither of those things with any attention. 

What seems to have happened here is that they've gone triumphantly with their self-proclaimed earth-shattering discoveries to an archaeologist who has looked with attention (afforded to at least the more superficially likely) items and said that they all look natural to them. Instead of accepting with good grace what the expert says, the finder has stormed off muttering "what do they know?".  "Who needs experts", eh? 

So here's a question. How much does the British public (in actual fact) need a Portable Antiquities Scheme? Is it for the public, in fact, or is it for archaeologists? Anonymous here could not give a tinkers what Dr so-and-so of the PAS will tell them if it does not fit in with their half-baked unsupported fantasies  - Anonymous thinks it is the archaeologists who "lack information" and "need to learn" from the "Citizen archaeologist" and not the other way round. How many other people in Britain's current dumbdown, clickbait society think the same?

 

Collectors' Corner: 'Sensational' "Prehistoric" Animal-shaped lumps on sale on eBay

Has the PAS seen this? If they had, what would have happened? Emptor caveat, yours for GBP 2,500.00 from emilbal-y0jmlc4z (247 ) a 'finder' based in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex: 

Here is a sensational upper palaeolithic/mesolithic ironstone pottery lion.This sensational example has great form and some how lasted the test of time it sat on the north seabed for thousands of years in pretty harsh conditions considering the turbulent sea with frequent storms. sand and water is a natural abrasive yet this ironstone stoneage pottery relic some how survived. I do not believe this ironstone pottery lion would have lasted had it been on land as the earths acids would have more than likely broken it down.This was discovered within deep north seabed dredge material, the area of dredged material was roughly 8 metres deep and approximately 20 miles off the Essex coastline this area of the north seabed was once lush land where Hunter gatherers lived amongst woolly mammoths woolly rhinos, pygmy hippos walrus and cave lions.Within the dredge material I have also discovered many stone tools I have had some dated which coincide with the neandethals.The area of north seabed which was once land was flooded by the late mesolithic period that's why I date my objects between the palaeolithic to late mesolithic as this land was flooded by this time.

Ironstone pottery mark, note colour

As eBay insist: 'Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing'. Indeed. The guy's spelling would put me off as well as a date supplied by a bloke who reckons there were pygmy hippos and woolly mammoths living together in this submerged pre-Holocene land. The man obviously has not the slightest idea what the term 'ironstone pottery' actually denotes and why it was not being made by hunter gatherers.

This is one of several dozen weird shaped lumps of stone predominantly with shapes that mean if they are held and lit in a certain way, they vaguely resemble an animal of some kind. These are put on eBay by various 'finders' who represent them as (and maybe think they are) ancient 'pocket art'. Since these are natural stones, these people are either ignorant or charlatans.  Taking such objects to the PAS would disabuse the one and provide confirmation of the latter if the objects subsequently appear on sale as an artefact.

In fact any closer inspection of the lithics on eBay suggests there is a huge lack in knowledge about what constitutes a lithic artefact among eBay sellers who try to pass battered stones off as prehistoric tools, and equally clueless 'collectors' buy them. To what extent is fraud being committed here? So far I have not seen any pebbles represented as sculptures of ancient spaceships, I guess its a matter of time.

So this seller - whose other offerings suggest he has a remarkable eye for seeing the form of an animal in a pebble - describes  an object as 'jasper' (it looks like flint) as 'worked' (it is not), is he committing fraud by misrepresenting what he has or just talking bollocks? (he says: "I have tinted some of this pictures to make it easier for those who cannot see the key features clear enough.jasper was a key stone within stone age Europe, and has links with the neandethals, I can understand why they chose this imperial looking material...").

Essex FLO, where is your 'outreach'? Ms Flynn would be doing a finder apparently 'passinitley intristed in the past' a favour by helping him distinguish fact from anything-goes fantasie (the difference between the PAS 'citizen archaeology' and stupidity) and in the process help out duped and deluded fellow collector-partners who have bought this crap under false pretences get their money back. 

Collectors' Corner: The Strange World of an Essex Dealer in Old Stones

In Darkest Essex, the Clacton seller: dvdad123_7 about whom I wrote earlier has been for another walk on the beach. He found lots more items that he's now trying to get people to believe are artefacts. Clacton-on-Sea seems to specialise in these people (see here). The FLO's outreach here seems to be having rather a poor reach.

'DVD Dad'  has a 'Paleolithic zoomorphic shaped flint scraper ( UK )' $32.58 Buy It Now Free international shipping , a 'Palaeolithic Venus figure in the gonnersdorth style $58.65 or Best Offer Free international shipping', a 'Paleolithic humanoid shaped flint scraper ( UK ) $45.62 Buy It Now Free international shipping'. Golly. Then there is the 'PALEOLITHIC MAN / ANIMAL STONE SCULPTURE / HAND AXE TOOL $13.03 Buy It Now' and a 'EX PALEOLITHIC DUCK / BIRD SHAPED HAND AXE $45.62 Buy It Now', and what about  'A SMALL STONE BADGER FROM THE STONE AGE PERIOD ((UK ) $39.09 Buy It Now'. Just what every "citizen archaeologist needs in their home museum.Who could pass us a 'TOFFEE COLOURED FLINT HAND AXE FROM THE PALEOLITHIC PERIOD WITH IMAGERY (UK ) $51.48 Buy It Now'? You could display it alongside the 'EXCELLENT SLIM CUT FLINT PALAEOLITHIC VENUS FIGURE $58.65 or Best Offer Free international shipping' seen in a piece of tabular flint - probably would appeal to the collector more into little girls than the more rubenesque form of most Palaeolithic sex dolls. It is rather disturbing however that she has all the skin (cortex) stripped off down her back... What dark fantasies lie hidden here? But the pride of any collection must be the object that the FLO to whom the finder no doubt showed these objects apparently identified as a 'EARLY PALAEOLITHIC TYRANNOSAURUS DOUBLE HEADED FLINT SCULPTURE $254.14 or Best Offer Free international shipping', which would look good alongside the 'EARLY PALEOLITHIC COLOURFULL DRAGON /BEAST HEAD / TOOL $110.78 or Best Offer Free international shipping'.

The Neolithic period supplied 'stunning free-standing rock sculpture' that looks remarkably like a big pebble, and some broken stones that are said to be an 'Excellent small Paleo / Neolithic Zoomorphic flint scraper' and another excellent find, a 'Lower palaeolithic horse shaped flint hand axe' and a Palaeolithic 'bird god figure' .

All of his transactions are 'private' so we cannot see what he's sold. A lot of the sold items appear to have been 'snapped up' by  regular 'buyers'.

Bottom Falling out of UK Portable Pseudo-Antiquities Market After Lockdown reading?

Perhaps UK collectors used their lockdown to follow the advice "read the book before you buy the antiquities" and can recognise this seller for what he is (emilbal-y0jmlc4z (379). Clacton-on-Sea, Sophie Flynn county, UK): 

From: eBay To: you
Sent: Mon, 1 Jun 2020 21:23 "Price reduced by £10.00"

Upper Paleolithic/ Mesolithic Pottery Mammoth/ doggerland

Here is a Upper Paleolithic/ Mesolithic Portable Pottery Mammoth. This example has good form and shares similar repetition from finds within the same dredged aggregrate from the northseabed/ doggerland. Doggerland was once a vast plain larger than the uk and was home to early human species and mesolithic hunter gatherers at this time britain was connected to mainland europe via a landbridge sadly doggerland was slowly submerged due to climate change at the end of the last glacial period.