MP Gallery - Warlingham, Surrey, England - OSO, Gate Dip, Gate Corner; j) polymorphsab18oso

Identification (Ron Williams): Flint flake, retouched. Polymorphic sculpture, up to 5 anthropomorphic images, female, plus horsehead and bear. This is a combination or 'combi' sculpture, typical of the Late Acheulian, Final Acheulian and Middle Paleolithic. Williams suggests that these combination sculptures, which typically have two different species of animal and multiple human profiles might be 'marriage licenses', that is, art intended to represent marriage alliance between two clans.

Illustration © Ron Williams, collected by Ron Williams. The artifact is documented in Williams, R. (1987). Beestachtig en Beregoed (II): Steentijdtradities en rituele vuursteenskulpturen van Surrey, Engeland door Ron Williams. Archaeologische Berichten 18:13-38 (Elst, NL).