Incised chalk plaque, Whitehawk Camp, Brighton

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This chalk ‘plaque’ with incised linear motifs was found during the 1935 excavations of the Neolithic causewayed enclosure of Whitehawk Camp, in Brighton.

The piece was reassessed by ASE in 2016. It measures a maximum of 136x137mm with a thickness of 42.5mm. The surface bears an incised geometric motif of intersecting lines in a grid-like design; the inclusion of diagonal lines to create triangular motifs is also apparent on the lower section of the plaque. The reverse exhibits three widely spaced horizontal lines bordered by two vertical lines.

The regularity and purposefulness of the incisions suggest that the creation of these lines was intentional, but archaeologists are still unsure as to the function or meaning of this object.

Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove acc. no. R4100/132.