Archaeologists in Birmingham (West Midlands, England) have discovered two stone flint blades which date back more than 9,000 years. A dig at Birmingham City University unearthed the amazing find, which is thought to have been dropped by a prehistoric man. The excavation was carried out by the University of Leicester Archeological Services between October and November. But experts have only just revealed the details about the artefacts, which were thought to have been used for cutting by people hunting for food in the area.
     Graham Rhodes, Director of Estates at Birmingham City University, said: "We knew the excavation would unearth some interesting things, but I never thought it would hark back to prehistoric times. It's a fantastic find, the archaeologists have said evidence of this period within Birmingham is extremely rare, and the excavation could help to show what this part of the city looked like in prehistoric times."
     The excavations and environmental survey also revealed evidence for woodland clearance in what would have been a boggy area of land during prehistoric times. Archaeologists from the University of Leicester have taken samples of sieved clay from the site to find small organic remains. Environmental specialists in charcoal, plant, pollen and beetle remains are studying the results to find out about the landscape that these early humans would have encountered. Samples from the clay have also been sent off for radiocarbon dating to verify the initial findings.

Source: Birmingham Mail (30 January 2009)