Bucks Earth Heritage Group

Ice Age in Bucks

The Ice Age, known as the Quaternary period, started 2.6 million years ago and the last glaciation ended only 10,000 years ago. Fossils of the Ice Age from Buckinghamshire are mostly derived from the end of the last cold phase (known as the Devensian). These are to be found in sand and gravel deposits of ancient river channels. However, they can also be found in the sediments of previous cold phases or the warm periods between ice advances (interglacial deposits) such as those found at College Lake. These older deposits are rare explaining why they are protected as SSSIs or RIGS.

Horse and deer teeth are common finds in Ice Age river terraces

A mammoth tooth is a rarer find and, if found, should be kept wet by wrapping in a wet tea-towel or similar.

As soon as possible the whole tooth should be completely drenched in PVA glue. If this is not done the tooth will soon disintegrate.

A mammoth tusk is more fragile than the teeth and should be similarly treated by numerous coats of PVA glue.

Occasionally mammoth bones may be found. This is the top end of a thigh.

Bison bones look different to mammoth bones and are chunkier than deer or other animal bones.

Quaternary gravels at Newport Pagnell in 1999, this quarry is now backfilled and no exposures exist of this unit for training or research