ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION REPORT
______________________________________
New Access Control, Gate 2, RAF Lakenheath. ERL 120
A REPORT ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS, 2002
(Planning app. no. Pre-planning)
John Craven Field Team
Suffolk C.C. Archaeological Service
� January 2005
Lucy Robinson County Director of Environment and Transport St Edmund House, County Hall, Ipswich, IP4 1LZ.
______________________________________
SCCAS Report No. 2005/27
Contents
List of contributors Acknowledgements 4.6.1 Animal bone 4.6.2 Charcoal
Summary 4.6.3 Plant Macrofossils
4.8 Discussion of the finds evidence
1. Introduction
2. Methodology 5. General Discussion 5.1 General
5.2 Phase I (Late Neolithic/Early
3. Results
3.1 General Bronze Age
5.3 Phase II (Iron Age)
3.2 Phase I (Late Neolithic/Early 5.4 Phase III (Late Iron Age/Roman) 5.5 Phase IV (Post-Medieval)
Bronze Age)
3.3 Phase II (Iron Age) 5.6 Phase IV (Unphased)
3.4 Phase III (Late Iron Age/Roman) 3.5 Phase IV (Post-Medieval) 6. Conclusions
3.6 Unphased
7. Recommendations
4. The Finds (Sue Anderson, Cathy Tester,
Sarah Percival, Sarah Bates, References
Val Fryer) 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Pottery Appendices
1. Context list 2. Finds lists
4.2.1 Prehistoric pottery 4.2.2 Roman pottery
4.3 Ceramic Building Material (CBM) 4.4 Lava quern 2.1 Bulk Finds List 2.2 Pottery
4.5 Flint
4.5.1 Worked Flint 2.3 Flint
3. Photo catalogue 4. Archive index
4.5.2 Burnt flint/stone 4.6 Small Finds 4.7 Biological Evidence
List of Figures
1. Site location plan
2. Location of nearby sites 3. Site plan 11. Unphased features plan 12. Unphased ditch sections
13. Unphased pit and posthole sections 14. Arrowhead from pit fill 0164
4. Phases I and II plan 5. Plan of pit group 0162 6. Phase I sections 15. Selection of scrapers from pit fill 0184 16. Trackway ditches in ERL 120, ERL 112
7. Phase II sections
8. Phases IIIa and IIIb plan 9. Phase IIIa sections and ERL 089.
17. ERL 089 and 0120 track alignments in
relation to Lords Walk and the fen edge
10. Phase IIIb sections
List of Tables
1. Finds quantities
2. Quantity and weight of pottery by period. 3. Quantities and weights of Later 5. Quantity and weight of pottery by feature
type and context 6. Flint by type
Neolithic/Early Bronze Age sherds by 7. Plant macrofossils etc. from Early Bronze
fabric
4. Decorative motif showing technique Age Pit fills
8. Plant macrofossils etc. from other
employed by quantity contexts
List of Contributors
All Suffolk C.C. Archaeological Service unless otherwise stated.
John Craven Site Supervisor
Sue Anderson Finds Manager
Cathy Tester Roman Pottery Specialist
Kelly Powell Post-excavation assistant
Sarah Bates Project Manager, Norfolk Archaeological Unit
Sarah Percival Project Manager, Norfolk Archaeological Unit
Val Fryer Environmental specialist, Freelance
Donna Wreathall Archaeological Illustrator
Acknowledgements
This project was funded by Ministry of Defence, Defence Estates (USF) and was monitored by Judith Plouviez (Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, Conservation Team).
The excavation was carried out by a number of archaeological staff, (Jo Caruth, John Craven, Roy Damant, John Duffy, Tony Fisher, David Gill, Jonathan Van Jennians, Kelly Powell and Andrew Tester) all from Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, Field Team. Particular thanks go to John Craven, Roy Damant, Tony Fisher, David Gill, Jonathan Van Jennians and Andrew Tester for working over the weekend of 31st August �1st September at very short notice.
The project was directed by Andrew Tester and managed by John Newman, who also provided advice during the production of the report.
The post-excavation was managed by Sue Anderson. Finds processing and the producing of site plans and sections was carried out by Kelly Powell, and the specialist finds and environmental reports by Sue Anderson, Cathy Tester, Sarah Bates, Val Fryer, and Sarah Percival. Finds illustrations are by Donna Wreathall.
Summary
An archaeological excavation was carried out in advance of a new access control area at Gate 2, Lord�s Walk, RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk. In total, an area of 4058 sqm was excavated and this revealed four main phases of activity.
The first phase was a large, discrete, cluster of 22 pits, dating from the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age. The majority of these pits were uniformly filled with large quantities of Beaker pottery sherds, worked flints and deposits of charcoal. A second phase of limited occupation in the Iron Age period, with three large pits, was followed by a third Late Iron Age/Early Roman phase, consisting of a trackway and an associated network of ditches. This is a continuation of the field system identified at ERL 089, 200m to the east, and can probably be associated with the nearby settlement at Caudle Head mere.
The southern ditch of the trackway has a definite kink in its course, avoiding the phase I pit group, indicating that some trace of these features may still have been visible. In general the line of the trackway corresponds closely with the course of the modern Lords Walk road, implying that this is an ancient route to move livestock between winter pasture on the heathland to the east, and summer pasture to the west on the fen-edge. A final fourth phase of activity is formed by a small group of mostly post-medieval metallic objects recovered from a small spread of subsoil by metal detecting. A range of miscellaneous undated pits and ditches were scattered across the site and are most likely to be contemporary with phases I to III.
SMR information
Planning application no. Pre-planning
Date of fieldwork: 29th August 2002 � 2nd September 2002
Grid Reference: TL 72377996
Oasis Reference: Suffolkc1-6115
Funding body: MoD Defence Estates (USF)
1. Introduction
An archaeological excavation was carried out in advance of a new access control area at Gate 2, Lord�s Walk, RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk. Normal planning procedures had been bypassed for this urgent development but the site was deemed to be of archaeological interest due to its proximity to various known archaeological sites within RAF Lakenheath and a full excavation was requested by Judith Plouviez (Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service, Conservation Team). The work was carried out at very short notice with extreme time constraints and was funded by the developer, MoD Defence Estates (USF).
RAF Lakenheath lies between the eastern edge of the fens and the western margins of Breckland and the site lies just outside the perimeter fence on the south-west side of the airbase, at TL 7237 7996 (Fig. 1) in Eriswell parish. The site lay on an area of undeveloped grassland and was relatively flat, with a very gentle west-facing slope heading down towards the fens, from 12m OD at the eastern end of the site to 8.5m OD at the west. The edge of the fens, as seen on a 1946 aerial photograph (Caruth 2003), was approximately 180m away, although the current �cut-off� channel is now 500m to the west.
At the time of the excavation no previous work had been done at the site and its potential was largely unknown, in particular it had not been possible to evaluate the area due to the urgency of the development. However the airbase is an area rich in archaeological deposits of all periods and has seen a high level of previous archaeological work. It was therefore expected that the development of the site would disturb archaeological deposits, due to its location in relation to surrounding known sites (Fig.2).
Evidence of settlement and burial activity, from the Iron Age to Anglo-Saxon periods, has been identified throughout the vicinity of ERL 120. A kilometre to the north-east lies a Late Iron Age/Roman settlement around a natural spring at Caudle Head mere and three large Anglo- Saxon cemeteries have been excavated 750m north-east of the site. Further traces of Roman occupation extending southwards from Caudle Head have been found in various archaeological monitorings (ERL 111, 112, 117 and 118) while Roman finds have been found at ERL 022 to the north-east and ERL 006 and 0054 to the south of the site. At a recent excavation (ERL 089), some 200m to the east of the site, a Middle Iron Age enclosure and a Late Iron Age/Early Roman trackway and field system has been identified (Caruth 2003).
The site therefore lay in an area with strong potential for the prescence of multi-period archaeological deposits, being within 200 metres of known Iron Age and Roman activity. Excavation offered an opportunity to see if this occupation extended further to the west and to look for other phases of activity.
2. Methodology
In total, an area of 4058 sqm was stripped of topsoil to the top of the archaeological levels by two mechanical excavators with 2m ditching buckets under the supervision of an archaeologist. This revealed the natural subsoil, a mix of yellow/orange sands and gravels, at a depth of 0.3 � 0.4m.
Due to time restrictions only a minimum of cleaning of archaeological soil layers and a limited metal detecting survey was possible. However most archaeological features were clearly visible after machining and were excavated by hand, generally 50% of pits and postholes although certain features were 100% excavated and sieved. Sections of ditches were placed to define stratigraphic relationships. Bulk soil samples were taken from a selection of contexts. The site was laid out on a 20m grid using an alpha-numeric reference and planned using a Total Station Theodolite. A single context continuous numbering system was used and feature sections and soil profiles were drawn at a scale of 1:20. Colour slide and black and white print photographs were taken of all stages of the excavation.
� Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council
Licence No. 100023395 2005.
404a
� Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council 0 25 50
Licence No. 100023395 2005. metres
406d
2700
B
1112 406a
3600
1112
B
408
ERL 120 Track
8.9m 12.0m
8.0m
11
11
10 10
18 18
8
7 8
1
Earlsfield 1 YEW OLIVE
Shopping CLOSE CLOSE
Centre
3 Posts 10 6
Figure 1. Site location plan
Ward Bdy
� Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council Def
Licence No. 100023395 2005.
Track
Roman settlement
ERL 117
Lakenheath Airfield
Early Saxon cemeteries
ERL 118
ERL 022
WAY
ERL 111
ERL 120
KENNEDY ERL 089 WINDSOR
ERL 112 CIRCLE
0 150 300
ERL 054
ERL 006 metres
WALK
AS
Figure 2. Location of nearby sites
Site data has been input onto an MS Access database and recorded using the County Sites and monuments code ERL 120 and inked copies of section drawings and plans have been made. Bulk finds were washed, marked and quantified, and the resultant data was also entered onto a database.
An OASIS form has been completed for the project (reference no. suffolkc1-6115)
The site archive is kept in the small and main stores of Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service at Bury St Edmunds.
3. Results
(Fig. 3)
3.1. General
Removal of the 0.30-0.40m of topsoil directly uncovered the natural subsoil of mid yellow/brown sand and gravels in which the archaeological features were generally clearly visible, the site as a whole was relatively undisturbed and the archaeology well preserved. The excavation uncovered a low-density spread of features across the site, and these can be divided at a glance at their spatial characteristics into four broad categories. There is a large cluster of pits to the east, a network of east-west and north-south aligned ditches across the site, a small group of pits to the west and a general scatter of miscellaneous features across the site. Dating the features is problematic however, with only a small proportion of features yielding any datable evidence, and stratigraphic evidence is either non-existent or unclear. However with the available dating evidence and comparison with the nearby site ERL 089 it is possible to divide the features into three main phases, with the remainder being unphased. These phases generally correspond with the spatial groups given above. Phase I consists of the main cluster of pits (0162) and three other scattered features, these are of a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date. Phase II consists of the small cluster of pits which are predominantly Iron Age. Phase III consists of the ditch network, this is composed of a Late Iron Age/Early Roman field system and a later system on a slightly different alignment. The unphased features are predominately the miscellaneous features that are scattered across the site. A final fourth phase has been given to the cluster of small finds, mostly post-medieval metallic objects from a subsoil spread (0189), that were uncovered by metal detecting.
3.2. Phase I: Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age
(Figs. 4, 5 and 6)
Features of this phase mainly occur in a cluster of pits (0162) and this cluster accounts for the vast majority of finds recovered from the entire site. The cluster consists of seventeen pits, all of which had very similar form and fill characteristics. The fills were uniformly similar, with dense quantities of charcoal containing hazel nutshell, burnt bone fragments and Beaker pottery sherds. This suggests that the pits were all open and filled simultaneously from a common source. Eleven of these seventeen pits contained Early Bronze Age pottery. Fifteen also contained worked flint that appears to be contemporary with the pottery.
A further five small pits lay nearby to the north-west (0221, 0223, 0227, 0229 and 0233) and two of these (0223 and 0227) also contained Early Bronze Age material. The appearance of these pits was somewhat different to those in 0162, they are less well defined, loosely scattered and lack the dense charcoal fills of the pits in the 0162 group.
Three more pits (0004, 0069 and 0116) which are scattered across the site also contained Early Bronze Age pottery. 0004 is a sizeable feature and lies within another small group of features which also contain Iron Age material. The other two pits, 0069 and 0116 are isolated features but 0116 contained a sizeable assemblage of struck flint.
Figure 3. Site plan 5
0162 pit group
0163 was a large, bowl-shaped, pit with a very dark grey/brown fill, 0164, containing large quantities of pottery and burnt/worked flint. It was 100% excavated and two soil samples were taken.
0165 was a medium-sized pit with vertical-sides and a flat base. It measured 0.9m in diameter and was 0.35m deep. The fill, 0166, was a dark brown sand and charcoal fill, containing pottery and flint and was 100% excavated.
0167 was a medium-sized, rounded, pit measuring 1.94m wide, 1.2m long, and 0.31m deep. Its fill was a very dark sand and charcoal fading into mid grey sand, 0168, containing pottery and flint.
0169 was a small, rounded pit, measuring 0.6m wide, 0.65m long and 0.3m deep. Its fill, 0170, was 100% excavated and contained pottery and flint.
0171 was a steep-sided, flat-based, medium-sized, circular pit measuring 0.8m in diameter and 0.35m deep. There was some slumping around the edges. Its fill, 0172, was a dark brown/black sand and charcoal, containing flints and was 100% excavated.
0173 was a small, oval, pit with steep sides and a curved base. It measured 0.38m wide, 0.64m long and 0.25m deep and was 100% excavated. Its fill was mainly a light brown sand, with frequent stones, and a black layer at the top, 0174, several flint flakes were recovered.
0175 was a small oval pit with sloping sides and a curved base. It measured 0.4m wide and 0.18m deep and was 100% excavated. Its fill, 0176, was a combination of black sand, charcoal and light brown sand, with flint flakes.
0177 was a circular pit with steep sides and a flat base measuring 0.63m wide, 0.78m long and 0.45m deep. It was 100% excavated and its fill was mainly a dark grey/black sand and charcoal, 0178, containing pottery and flint.
0179 was a medium-sized, circular, pit with a flat base and steep sides. It measured 1.2m wide, 0.96m long, 0.34m deep and was 100% excavated. Its fill, 0180, was a mix of dark charcoal and sand and mid-dark brown sand and contained pottery and flint.
0181 was a circular pit with vertical sides and a concave base. It measured 1m in diameter and was 0.45m deep. The fill was 100% excavated and was a dark grey sand with charcoal, 0182, with the charcoal largely located in the upper area, and contained pottery and flint.
0183 was an irregular shaped pit with two distinct fills. The upper fill, 0184, contained pottery sherds and the lower fill, 0239, a homogenous brown sand, contained further pottery and flint.
0185 was a large sub-square pit with sloped sides, measuring 1.4m wide, 1.2m long and 0.38m deep. It had three fills, the upper being a grey/brown coarse sand with frequent small stones (0186). The middle fill, 0235, was a yellow/brown sand and the basal fill, 0236, a very dark, charcoal-rich sand. It was 100% excavated.
0187 was a circular, steep-sided, pit measuring 0.93m in diameter and 0.48m deep. It was 100% excavated and contained four fills. The upper fill, 0188, was a dark grey/brown stony sand with occasional charcoal flecks, beneath this was a layer of orange/brown sand, 0216. The third fill,
0217, was a grey/brown sand with occasional charcoal patches which overlaid the basal fill, 0218, of grey/brown sand.
0190 was a very small pit, with steep sides and a concave base, measuring 0.20m in diameter and 0.15m deep. Its fill, 0191, was a charcoal and black sand, containing flint flakes, and was 100% excavated.
0219 was an oval pit, with sloped sides, measuring 1.02m wide, 1.06m long and 0.40m deep. It was 100% excavated and had an upper fill of dark grey/brown sand with some stones, 0220, and a basal fill of pale, yellow/brown, fairly even sand, 0238.
0225 was a shallow pit just visible on the very edge of the site. It had a dark brown sand and charcoal fill, 0226.
0231 was a small pit with an irregular shape and sides. It had a dark brown sand fill, 0232, with traces of charcoal.
Pits near to 0162 group
0221 was a small posthole or pit. It appeared to be a well-defined feature although its base was very unclear. It was 100% excavated and had a dark brown fill, 0222.
0223 was a possible pit cut, possibly a burial of a single pot but with heavy animal disturbance. It was 100% excavated and pottery sherds and flint flakes were recovered.
0227 was a small pit or posthole with a post position at one end and was 100% excavated. Its fill was a soft brown sand, 0228, containing pottery and flint.
0229 was a similar feature to 0027, a posthole with a post position at one end. It was filled with a soft brown sand, 0230.
0233 was a posthole filled with a soft brown sand, 0234.
Other features
0004 was a large pit, with gently sloping sides and a curved base, measuring 1.7m wide, 1.35m long and 0.36m deep. It was 50% excavated. Its main fill, 0005, consisted of mixed sands, mainly light-mid brown sand and light grey. An upper fill, 0013, of black sand/charcoal was 100% excavated.
0069 was a roughly circular pit, measuring 0.5m in diameter and 0.32m deep. It was steep-sided, with a flat base and was 100% excavated. It had a central charcoal-rich fill, 0070, containing pottery sherds and an outer fill of mid grey/brown sand, 0071.
0116 was an oval-shaped pit, steep-sided, measuring 0.8m wide, 2.18m long and 0.2m deep. It was 100% excavated and had a dark grey/brown sand fill, 0117, packed with flint flakes and pottery sherds.
Figure 4. Phases I and II plan
Figure 5. Plan of pit group 0162
Figure 6. Phase I sections
3.3. Phase II: Iron Age
(Figs. 4 and 7)
This phase of activity consisted of three pits in a loose grouping in the north-west part of the site and a nearby ditch. The three pits 0008, 0030 and 0074 were all sizeable features and undisturbed, as was ditch 0002. Pit 0008 contained pottery from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Medieval periods but as the Iron Age material came from a sealed basal deposit it appears to date to this phase.
0002 was a north-south aligned ditch with vertical sides and a flat base. It had two fills; 0003 being a mid brown sand, becoming lighter and more orange towards the base of the ditch and 0019, a mid-dark brown sand with some charcoal and Iron Age pottery sherds.
0008 was a circular pit, with fairly steep sides and a curved base, measuring 1.75m wide, 1.9m long and 0.9m deep. Its main fill, 0009, was a mid brown/grey sand with a light grey sand band running through the base. A black sand/charcoal layer, 0014, contained some pottery sherds. Another black sand/charcoal layer at the top also contained some pottery. It was 50% excavated.
0030/0088 was a possible pit under the north edge of the site. It measured 1.8m wide and 0.6m deep and appeared to be circular with gently sloping sides and a curved base. Its fill, 0031/0089, was a mid-dark grey/brown sand containing pottery sherds and was 50% excavated.
0074 was a large, circular pit, measuring 2m wide and 0.80m deep. It was filled with banded layers of pale brown and silver/grey sands and was 50% excavated. The upper fill, 0075, was a thin layer of dark grey, charcoal-rich sand lying above the main fill, 0076, a silver/grey fine sand, both of which contained pottery sherds.
Figure 7. Phase II sections
3.4. Phase III: Late Iron Age/Roman
Although the majority of the ditches on the site contained no datable evidence it is believed that they form part of a Late Iron Age/Early Roman field system (phase IIIa) which is apparent at other locations nearby (ERL 089 and ERL 112). Many of the ditches follow a particular grid alignment with two west-east ditches, 0057 and 0082, running parallel to each other through the site, with several north-south ditches crossing between the two. Ditch 0002, although it has been placed in Phase II, is on the same alignment as the north-south ditches on the site, implying that it may actually be a part of the Late Iron Age/Early Roman ditch system with Iron Age pottery in its fill being residual.
One ditch, 0207, contained Roman material and with 0209, 0211 and 0064 forms a ditch system (phase IIIb) on a slightly different alignment to that seen in phase IIIa. As 0064 cuts 0057 they appear to represent a later Roman field system.
The lack of material recovered from these ditches may be partly due to the fact that only limited excavation was possible, principally of ditch intersections in an attempt to establish relationships, due to time constraints. Only about 5% of the length of these ditches was excavated, in comparison to a more usual 10-20% and this will have affected the quantity of dating material recovered.
Phase IIIa (Late Iron Age/Early Roman) (Figs. 8 and 9)
0057 was an east-west aligned ditch running across the site. At its west end it cornered and headed south, splitting into three recuts, 0049, 0051 and 0055, with dark grey/brown sand fills, 0050, 0052 and 0056 respectively. A series of sections (0063, 0065/0066, 0083, 0087, 0093, 0118, 0133 and 0160) were excavated to establish relationships with other features and the fills within these sections varied from pale grey/brown sand to mid brown sand. The ditch cuts features 0061, 0072, 0130, 0134, 0136, 0138 and 0147, is cut by 0064 and 0077, and has unclear relationships with 0053, 0079, 0081, 0124, 0125 and 0152.
0077 was a narrow, north-south aligned, ditch., butt-ending just north of the south edge of the site. It had a steep-sided, V-shaped profile and measured 0.4-5m wide and 0.3m deep. It had a mid grey/brown sand fill, seen in sections 0078, 0093 and 0198. It cut ditch 0057, was cut by 0082, and met 0098 at the north edge of the site but the relationship between the two was unclear.
0079 was a ditch aligned south-north across the site from ditch 0082 to the southern edge. It had a mid-pale brown sand fill, seen in sections 0083, 0084, 0086, 0096 and 0197. Its relationships with 0057, 0080, 0081 and 0082 were unclear.
0080 was a small ditch splitting from 0079 and running north parallel to it. It butt-ended on the north side of 0082 which it was probably cut by. It had a pale brown sand fill, seen in sections 0086 and 0096.
0081 was a small ditch splitting from 0079 and butt-ending 4 metres to the north. It had an unclear relationship with 0079 and 0057, seen in sections 0083 and 0084.
0082 was a ditch, aligned east-west, parallel to 0057. In sections 0092 and 0096 it had a pale brown sand fill and cut features 0077 and 0109, had an unclear relationship with ditch 0079 and
probably cut 0080. At its east end it split into two cuts, 0150 and 0151, which appeared to join ditches 0124 and 0125, seen in sections 0149 and 0240.
0098 was a narrow, shallow ditch, aligned east-west, just north of and parallel to ditch 0082. It emerged from the north edge of the site at its intersection with 0077, the relationship being unclear, and butt ended to the east. It had a pale brown, stoney/sand fill.
0124 was a north-south aligned ditch, adjacent to and parallel with ditch 0125 at the east end of the site. To the north it joined ditch 0150. To the south it merged with 0125 into a single ditch, 0140, just before the junction with ditch 0057, and may be continuing south as 0134. Its relationship with 0057 was unclear. Its fill, seen in sections 0127 and 0240 was a light brown silt/sand with occasional small stones.
0125 was a ditch, east of and parallel to 0124. It joined 0151 to north, and to the south it merged with 0124 before possibly continuing as 0138 to the south of 0057. It had an nnclear relationship with 0057. Its fill, seen in sections 0127 and 0149, was a light brown silt/sand with occasional small stones.
0130 was a north-south aligned ditch at the east end of the site. It had shallow, gently sloping sides and a flat base and a mid grey/brown sand fill. On the surface it appeared to be cut by 0057.
0136 was a north-south aligned ditch, parallel to 0124 and 0125. It cut posthole 0156 and 0150 and but was cut by 0151 and then 0057 at its southern end. Its fill, a mid brown sand was seen in sections 0137, 0142 and 0240.
0152 was a slightly curving ditch aligned north-south. It ran from the south edge of the site, west of and parallel to 0154. It measured 1m wide and 0.3m deep and had a fill of mid brown silt/sand with occasional small stones seen in sections 0153 and 0161. It merged into 0057 but the relationship was unclear.
0154 was a small, shallow, slightly curving ditch, aligned north-south. It ran from the south edge of the site for approximately 7m before butt-ending and was east of, and parallel to, ditch 0152. It had a fill of mixed mid and light brown silty sands.
Figure 8. Phases IIIa and IIIb plan
Figure 9. Phase IIIa sections
Phase IIIb (Roman) (Figs. 8 and 10)
0064 was a broad, north-south aligned, ditch. It measured approximately 1.6m wide and had a mid brown sand fill with bands of iron pan, seen in sections 0192 and 0065. It was cut by 0203 and 0205, had an unclear relationship with 0207 and cut through 0057 before butt-ending to the north. It may be a later feature than the other ditches in this phase as the presence of iron panning suggests a wetter environment, which is generally seen in the surrounding area in the post- Roman period.
0207, 0209 and 0211 were three, east-west aligned ditches, which ran west from under layer 0189 into 0064. They appeared as a single feature on the surface, and had a brown silt/sand fill with some pebbles, 0208, 0210 and 0212 respectively.
Figure 10. Phase IIIb sections
3.5. Phase IV: Post Medieval
In the southwest corner of the site a spread of soil (0189) survived, overlying the subsoil and ditches 0207, 0209 and 0211. The spread was 0.15m thick, probably being the fill of a natural hollow, and contained several metallic small finds of post-medieval date which were found by metal detecting. No section was recorded.
3.6. Unphased
(Figs. 11, 12 and 13)
As previously noted many features contained no dating evidence, and do not fit any pattern of distribution and hence are unphased. These are generally isolated scattered pits and postholes occurring throughout the site, of which there are 40 (Fig. 13). Some of these pits may, 0102, 0114 and 0145 in particular, simply be natural features, such as hollows in the undulating subsoil or treeholes. A few have either defined or unclear stratigraphic relationships with features from other phases.
0006 was a circular pit with gently sloping sides and a curved base. It measured 1m in diameter and 0.38m deep. It was 50% excavated and had a mid grey/brown sand fill, 0007, with occasional stones.
0010 was a circular pit with sloping sides and a curved base, measuring 1.3m wide, 1.1m long and 0.4m deep. It was 50% excavated and had a fill, 0011, of grey/brown sand with some darker sand to the base, as well as some bright orange patches.
0015 was a circular pit, 1.25m wide, 1.2m long and 0.48m deep. It had steep sides with a slightly curving base and was 50% excavated. Its fill, 0016, was of mixed sands, mainly mid grey/brown with some darker brown lenses of sand towards the base and occasional dark charcoal staining.
0017 was a circular pit with gently sloping sides and a rounded base, measuring 1m in diameter and 0.19m deep. It had a mid brown sand fill, 0018 and was 50% excavated.
0020 was a shallow, circular pit, 0.9m wide, 0.8m long and 0.2m deep. It had a mid-dark grey sand fill, 0021, with frequent small flints/stones and some charcoal staining. It was 50% excavated.
0022 was an oval pit with heavy animal disturbance. It had a fill, 0023, of mid brown/grey sand.
0024 was a circular pit, with sides sloping gradually to the west and more steeply to the east and a curved base. It had a dark fill, 0025, at the top with yellow sand at the base and was 50% excavated.
0032 was a circular pit, 1.04m wide, 0.95m long and 0.4m deep. It had very steep sides with a flat base and was 50% excavated. Its fill, 0033, was a mid-dark brown sand.
0034 was an oval pit with gently sloping sides and a curved base, measuring 0.37m wide, 0.7m long and 0.17m deep. It had a mid-dark brown sand fill, 0035, with occasional stones and was 50% excavated.
0039 was a circular pit cutting through linear feature 0036. It was 0.5m wide and 0.37m deep and had sloping sides and a curved base and was 50% excavated. Its fill, 0040, was a dark brown/grey sand with occasional stones.
0041 was a small, circular pit, 0.34m diameter and 0.13m deep, with gently sloping sides and a curved base. Its fill, 0042, had three distinct layers, dark grey sand at the top, bright orange in the middle and mid brown sand at the base. It was 50% excavated.
0043 was a small circular pit, 0.5m wide, 0.35m long and 0.14m deep with gently sloping sides and a curved base. The fill, 0044, was a slightly darker brown sand than the surrounding natural and was 50% excavated.
0045 was an oval, irregular pit, aligned west-east, measuring 0.7m wide, 1.5m long and 0.37m deep. It had a fill, 0046, of mid grey and dark grey sand and was 50% excavated.
0047 was an oval, irregular pit, aligned west-east, measuring 0.9m long and 0.33m deep. Its fill, 0048, was a dark grey sand and one patch of charcoal and was 50% excavated.
0053 was a posthole directly to the west of ditch 0051, with which it had an unclear relationship. It measured 0.3m in diameter and 0.2m deep with a circular cut, quite steep sides and a slightly curved base and was 50% excavated. Its fill, 0054, was a dark grey/brown sand with occasional stones, similar to that of the adjacent ditches.
0058 was a large, circular, bowl-shaped pit, 1.5m wide, 1.6m long and 0.65m deep. Its thin upper fill, 0059, was a mid brown sand. The main fill below, 0061, was a mix of black sand and charcoal with undisturbed burnt flint. Three bags of soil samples were taken and it was 50% excavated.
0061 was an oval, irregular, pit, cut by 0057. Its fill, 0062, was a mid brown sand with some gravel. Flints and charcoal were present along the base and sides.
0067 was an oval, irregular, shallow, medium-sized pit, 1m wide, 1.3m long and 0.1m deep and was 50% excavated. It had a mid grey-brown silt/sand fill, 0068, with frequent small stones. Heat affected flints were present in the upper level of the fill.
0072 was a circular pit cut by ditches 0055 and 0057. Its fill, 0073, was a black sand with burnt stones.
0090 was a small, circular posthole with a concave base, 0.2m in diameter and 0.12m deep. Its fill, 0091, was a dark brown/black sand with charcoal and was 50% excavated .
0094 was a large circular pit with a mid-pale brown sand/gravel fill, 0095. The fill contained layers of iron panning and a thin horizon of charcoal at the base.
0102 was a small, irregular pit, filled with pale brown sand, 0103, and was possibly a natural feature.
0106 was a small, very shallow, circular posthole, 0.4m in diameter and 0.06m deep. Its fill, 0107, was a dark grey sand and charcoal. No section was recorded.
0108 was a shallow, rectangular posthole/pit just north of the butt-end of 0103. It was 0.35m wide, 0.5m long and 0.1m deep with a fill, 0109, of dark brown sand.
0109 was a small, charcoal filled, pit or posthole, cut by the southern edge of ditch 0082.
0110 was a shallow posthole, 0.4m in diameter and 0.1m deep, with a fill, 0111, of dark grey sand/charcoal.
0112 was a shallow, bowl-shaped, pit measuring 1m in diameter and 0.25m deep. It had a dark brown sand fill, 0113, with some gravel.
0114 was an irregular feature, 0.45m wide and 0.4m deep with a dark, charcoal-flecked sand fill. It was probably a natural feature and no section was recorded.
0115 was a shallow, bowl-shaped, feature alongside 0114. It had a single fill of pale brown, stony sand.
0121 was a steep-sided, concave-based, pit, measuring 0.6m wide, 0.7m long and 0.35m deep. It had a dark grey/black sand fill, 0122.
0123 was a large, circular, shallow pit, 1.6m wide, 1.36m long and 0.14m deep. It had a mid grey/brown sand fill, 0126.
0145 was a very shallow, oval feature, 0.3m wide, 1.2m long and 0.1m deep with a dark brown sand fill, 0146, and was possibly a natural feature.
0156 was a posthole within ditch 0136 but the relationship could not be seen. It had a grey sand fill.
0193 was a small, shallow, circular pit with a dark grey/brown silt/sand fill, 0194, with very occasional charcoal flecks.
0195 was a small, oval pit with a mid brown silt/sand fill, 0196, with occasional flecks of charcoal and traces of pinkish burnt clay.
0199 was a small, circular posthole with a dark brown sand fill, 0200.
0201 was a small, circular posthole with a dark brown sand fill, 0202.
0213 was an east-west aligned trench or pit with a distinct cut. It had a grey sand and chalk fill. The section was not recorded.
0214 was a shallow, wide pit with a pale grey sand fill. The section was not recorded.
0215 was a small pit and was not recorded.
A few small ditches that do not appear to fit into the pattern of the Late Iron Age/Early Roman field system are also unphased (Fig.12).
0026 was a linear feature or possible ditch, aligned north-south, measuring 0.6m wide and 0.25m deep. It had fairly steep sides with a flat base. The fill, 0027, was a mid brown sand.
0028 was a linear feature, running northwest-southeast for about 2m before fading away to the north and south. It was 0.88m wide and 0.47m deep with a fill, 0029, of mid-dark brown sand.
0036 was a curvilinear ditch, aligned west-east, and measuring approximately 4m in length before it butt ended, 0.5m wide and 0.17m deep. It had a mid-dark grey/brown sand fill, 0037, and was cut by pit 0039.
0103 was a narrow ditch, aligned southeast-northwest, between ditch 0082 and the north edge of the site. It ran from the north site edge on slightly curving arc and terminated in a rounded butt- end. It was filled with a single layer of pale brown sand, seen in sections 0104 and 0105.
0119 was an irregular narrow ditch, aligned northeast-southwest. It ran into 0125 but the relationship between the two was unclear. Its fill, 0120 was a mid grey sand.
0134 was a narrow, shallow ditch, aligned northwest-southeast, with a fill, 0135, of mid grey sand. It cut ditch 0138 and was cut by 0057. It may be a continuation of 0124.
0138 was a narrow, north-south aligned, ditch, possibly a continuation of 0125. It was cut by 0134 and 0057, and butt-ended on the edge of the site where it was cut by 0139. It had a mid grey/brown sand fill, 0143.
0139 was a short length of ditch, butt-ending on top of 0138 and merging into 0134 at its north end. It had a dark grey sand, 0144.
0147 was a narrow, shallow, ditch, aligned northeast-southwest. It appeared to run into and was cut by 0057. Its fill was a mid grey/brown sand, 0148.
0203 and 0205 were a pair of parallel, narrow, ditches, aligned southwest-northeast and cutting across 0064. They both had a mid orange/brown sand fill, 0204 and 0206 respectively.
Figure 11. Unphased features plan
Figure 12. Unphased ditch sections
Figure 13. Unphased pit and posthole sections
4. Finds and environmental evidence
Sue Anderson
4.1 Introduction
Table 1 shows the quantities of finds collected during the excavation. A full quantification by context is included as Appendix 2.1.
Find type No. Wt/g
Pottery (Preh + Rom) 463 5511
CBM 1 215
Lava quern 1 187
Worked flint 601 7971
Burnt flint/stone 118 2645
Iron 11 114
Copper alloy 1 2
Animal bone 1 99
Charcoal 16 -
Table 1. Finds quantities.
4.2 Pottery
4.2.1 Prehistoric pottery
by Sarah Percival
Introduction
Excavation at site ERL 120 produced 455 sherds of prehistoric pottery weighing 5449g (7 sherds (32g) from 0186 are not included in this report). The majority of the sherds were of Later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker (432 sherds, 5275g). A small number of Bronze Age, Iron Age and undatable prehistoric sherds were also found (see Table 2). The sherds were generally large with an average sherd weight of 12g and were mostly fresh and well preserved. A number of partially complete vessels were represented but the assemblage contained no complete pots. Appendix 2.2 lists the pottery by context.
Period No. Wt/g
Later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age 432 5275
Bronze Age 11 88
Iron Age 9 82
undatable 3 4
Total 455 5449
Table 2. Quantity and weight of pottery by period.
Methodology
The assemblage was analysed using the pottery recording system described in the Norfolk Archaeological Unit Pottery Recording Manual and in accordance with the Guidelines for analysis and publication laid down by the Prehistoric Ceramic Research Group (PCRG 1992). The total assemblage was studied and a full catalogue was prepared. The sherds were examined using a binocular microscope (x10 magnification) and were divided into fabric groups defined on the basis of inclusion types present. Fabric codes were prefixed by a letter code representing the main inclusion present (F representing flint, G grog and Q quartz). Vessel form was recorded; R representing rim sherds, B base sherds, D decorated sherds and U undecorated body sherds. The sherds were counted and weighed to the nearest whole gram. Decoration and abrasion were also noted.
Later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age
The Beaker assemblage is large and well preserved. A total of 432 sherds (5275g) were identified as being Beaker, mostly on the basis of decoration but also by distinctive form and fabric. The majority of the assemblage came from a group of 17 pits (0162), which between
them contained 425 sherds (5265g) representing over eighty vessels. The assemblage probably represents domestic pottery and dates to 2600-1800BC (Healy 1996, 114).
Fabric
The Later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pottery was characterised by a soft fabric with buff- orange to buff-brown colouring. Five fabrics were identified from two main fabric groups. Grog tempered fabrics made up the most of the assemblage (79.21%, 4251g). Three grog-rich fabrics were identified, one containing grog with quartz-sand (G1), the second containing grog with burnt flint (G2) and a third containing only large pieces of grog (G3). The second group of fabrics contained crushed burnt flint temper and were divided into two sub groups, the first containing flint and quartz-sand (F1) the second slightly coarse fabric containing just flint (F2). Flint tempered fabrics made up around 20% of the assemblage (1118g). A small number of sherds were too small to be assigned a fabric group and were therefore unclassified (U, 0.13%, 7g). Quantities and weights of sherds by fabric are summarised in Table 3 below. Full fabric descriptions are in the archive.
Fabric code No. % No. Wt/g % Wt
F1 59 14.00 984 19.75
F2 1 0.23 49 0.91
G1 242 55.76 2873 53.72
G2 120 27.54 1348 25.27
G3 2 0.45 12 0.22
U 8 2.03 9 0.13
Total 432 5275
Table 3. Quantities and weights of Later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age sherds by fabric.
The range of fabrics presented is compatible with Later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age fabrics found throughout East Anglia and beyond (Healy 1988, fig.78). No obvious link was observed between fabric and decorative style though fingertip impressed and �plastic rusticated� decoration was slightly more common in the coarser flint-tempered fabrics. This may suggest that choice of fabric was influenced by the function of the pot, as it is possible that the rusticated vessel may have represented the coarser element of the domestic assemblage.
Form and decoration
A minimum of ninety-five vessels is represented within the assemblage but no fully
reconstructable profiles were found. The Beakers are characterised by long upright necks and simple rounded flattened or pointed rims. This suggests a �W� shaped profile for the majority of the Beakers. A single vessel with an inverted rim and neck forming a slightly closed profile is also present. Three examples have marked changes of angle on the shoulder of the vessel; all are decorated with fingertip and fingernail impressions. One vessel has a pronounced globular profile. Three sherds have pierced holes drilled through the vessel walls when the pot was semi- dry or leather-hard, before it had been fired. Two of the pierced sherds are from the upper part of the pot with the hole being placed a short distance down the neck of the Beaker below the rim. The third example appears to be on the body of the vessel.
A wide range of decorative techniques was employed. These are summarised in Table 4. The assemblage contains a mixture of vessels. The heavier, more coarse vessels are decorated with plastic rustication comprised of fingertip and fingernail impressions (FTI, FNI). These appear to cover the entire body of the pots, often with two or three horizontal bands around the girth of the pot with vertical bands or cable formed from double or pinched fingertip impressions below. The more finely made vessels are comb-impressed or tool-impressed. Both �open� designs in the form of continuous filled horizontal bands and �closed designs� of floating lozenges and triangles are present. Tool-impressed circles appear on two vessels where they cover the entire body of the
Beaker. The circles are both small, formed from a single worked bone or other tool, or larger, formed from a curved tool used several times to form a complete circle.
Decorative motif/ decorative technique Comb impressed FNI FTI Impressed Incised Paired FNI Paired FTI Pinched Plain Tool impressed Total
No motif 1 29 7 7 55 1 100
All over 5 67 8 47 127
Bands and lozenges 25 1 4 30
Cable 1 6 7
Circles 6 2 8
Filled bands 7 3 7 4 13 34
Free floating lozenges 10 8 18
Hanging triangle 1 1
Horizontal and vertical bands 3 3 1 7
Horizontal bands 5 4 12 1 22
Paired above cable below 2 2
Parallel horizontal bands 2 2
Pinched 1 1
Triple bands 11 11
Vertical bands 5 22 7 34
Plain 1 27 28
Total 42 13 115 33 16 3 45 8 82 75 432
Table 4. Decorative motif showing technique employed by quantity.
Deposition
Beaker pottery was in the fills of pits (Table 5). Over ninety-eight percent (5265g) of the Beaker assemblage came from a group of seventeen pits, group number 0162. Beaker was also found in small quantities in two other pits. The assemblage is characterised as domestic as it is fragmentary, and contains a combination of plastic rusticated styles and more complex impressed styles commonly found on domestic sites in East Anglia (Gibson 1982; Bamford 1982). The placement of highly decorated Beaker sherds within isolated pits is a phenomenon observed on several Later Neolithic Early Bronze Age sites (Ashwin 1998, 25; Ashwin 2001, 28) though the majority of domestic Beaker was probably deposited in surface middens. The nature of pit deposits has been suggested as representing a blurring between ritual practice, perhaps in the form of special deposits, and the domestic or mundane, that is the utilitarian pottery (Ashwin 2001, 28).
Feature type Context No. Wt/g
Pit cut 0183 110 1144
Pit fill 0116 5 13
0163 54 904
0165 1 4
0167 11 91
0169 5 89
0177 21 282
0179 6 23
0181 17 372
0185 14 199
0187 69 1101
0219 97 883
0223 20 158
0227 2 12
Total 432 5275
Table 5. Quantity and weight of pottery by feature type and context.
Dating and Affinities
Beaker currency spanned the period of approximately 2600 and 1800BC (Kinnes et al. 1992, Healy 1996, table 13). The Beaker assemblage shows a wide range of styles and decorative techniques including complex closed motifs and fingertip plastic rustication which typify later Beaker styles found on sites such as Hockwold cum Wilton (Bamford 1982). Within East Anglia parallels for the ERL120 assemblage can also be found at Little Bealings, Suffolk, which produced examples of both fingertip impressed and combed lozenges and hanging triangles (Martin 1993, Fig. 36, 9, 14, 18). At Reffley Wood, Norfolk, tool impressed circles were also found (Gibson 1982, Fig. REF.1 No. 20). Beaker decoration appears to become more complex through time (Boast 1995, 73) suggesting that the ERL120 assemblage probably lies towards the later part of the Beaker currency (2600-1800BC).
Bronze Age
Eleven sherds of pottery weighing 88g were identified as being of Bronze Age date on the basis of the distinctive tempered fabric. The Bronze Age assemblage included four undecorated body sherds in grog-tempered fabrics (G1 and G2) and seven sherds which formed the semi-complete base of a single vessel. The base was simple and undecorated and in a poor state of preservation. The Bronze Age sherds were found in three contexts, the body sherds from layers (0006 and 0008) and the base from the fill of a pit (0069). The Bronze Age sherds lack distinctive form or decoration and therefore are not closely datable.
Iron Age
Nine sherds weighing 82g were identified as being Iron Age. Two fabrics were identified, one tempered with quartz-sand (Q1 one sherd 21g) and the other with organic vegetable matter possibly chopped grass or chaff (V1 eight sherds 61g). The sherds were all undecorated body sherds, though the vegetable-tempered sherds were all finished with a rough wiped treatment to the surface. The Iron Age sherds were found in four contexts, one ditch fill (0002) and two pits (0008 and 0074) and one possible pit cut (0030). All the sherds were in a fresh condition and with the exception of those from pit 0008 were large suggesting that they were in situ.
4.2.2 Roman pottery
by Cathy Tester
One body sherd of a Roman greyware jar with a smoothed external surface and a horizontal groove was found in 0097.
4.3 Ceramic Building Material (CBM)
A fragment of overfired and heavily vitrified brick was found in 0009. The surfaces are irregular and it measures approximately 50mm thick. The fabric is very dense but poorly mixed and contains sand and ferrous fragments. The date is uncertain.
4.4 Lava quern
by Cathy Tester
One piece of lava quern with a maximum thickness of 48mm was collected from 0208. The grinding surface is smooth and the non-grinding surface is pecked.
4.5 Flint
4.5.1 Worked flint
by Sarah Bates
Methodology
Each piece of flint was examined and recorded by context in an Access database table. The material was classified by category and type (see archive) with numbers of pieces and numbers of complete, corticated, and patinated pieces being recorded. Additional descriptive comments were made as necessary. Retouched and utilised flints pieces have been bagged separately within the main bags (except where context assemblages are very small). Flints selected for possible illustration have been removed from the main context bags and bagged separately.
The assemblage
A total of 601 pieces of struck flints was recovered from the site. Most of the flint is mid to dark grey in colour with cortex of various types. Many pieces have an off-white grey cortex, sometimes quite thick, with areas of abraded white patina on some surfaces showing that surface-collected lumps of flint were often used as a raw material. The inclusion of some pieces which are clearly struck from small cores suggests that smaller gravel pebbles were also utilised. There is little post-depositional edge damage, almost all of the flint is sharp. Much of the debitage is irregular in nature and many of the pieces have been struck by hard hammer. The assemblage is summarised by type in Table 6 and listed in Appendix 2.3.
Type No.
Multi platform flake core 5
Single platform flake core 3
Core fragment 1
Tested/struck piece 13
Shatter 31
Flake 405
Blade 16
Bladelet 1
Blade-like flake 29
Spall 21
Chip 7
End scraper 13
Scraper 2
Side scraper 12
Subcircular 10
Piercer 1
Spurred piece 1
Arrowhead 1
Retouched blade 4
Retouched flake 15
Retouched fragment 2
Utilised blade 4
Utilised flake 2
Hammerstone 2
Total 601
Table 6. Flint by type
Thirteen cores, many quite small, are present. They include three single platform and five multi platform flakes cores, thirteen tested/struck pieces and a fragment which may be the platform of a shattered core. About half were already patinated prior to their use.
By far the main part of the assemblage is made up of unmodified flakes. Many flakes are irregular and some are broad in shape. A relatively small number of spalls are present. Relatively small numbers of blades and blade-like pieces are present and many of those classified as such
are in fact quite irregular in nature. Only one blade has been recorded as struck from a prepared blade core. A number of contexts contain irregular shattered fragments
A total of 37 pieces have been classified as scrapers although many of them have only minimal retouch � often around the distal ends of quite small ovate flakes. There are also a number of subcircular scrapers, usually quite small with retouch around their distal part but extending around other edges. Several of these could be described as �thumbnail� types which are usually considered to be characteristic of the later Neolithic to Early Bronze Age (or Beaker) period. Another group can be classified as side scrapers. Almost all of these are small flakes with retouch along one side and sometimes extending slightly around the distal part.
Two pieces have been classed as piercers. These are an irregular shatter piece, one point of which appears to have been utilised 0178 and a flake with retouch forming an irregular, possibly �spurred� edge 0166.
One arrowhead is present 0164 (Fig.14). It is unifacially retouched along both edges to a point at its proximal end. Its distal end is also retouched, forming an asymmetrical base to the arrowhead. The piece can be described as an oblique type and is of later Neolithic date.
Figure 14. Arrowhead from pit fill 0164
Twenty other retouched pieces are present. These include fifteen flakes, four blades and two fragments, one thermal and one shattered fragment, both with surfaces patinated prior to their use. One of the blades is a fine soft hammer struck piece 0164 which is probably re-used; it was patinated prior to the retouch of its edges.
Six utilised pieces are present. They included two flakes and six blades. One soft hammer struck with some damage to its edges may be residual.
Two hammerstones are present. One is a quite small regular round-shaped cortical patinated lump 0186 the other is larger and more irregular 0188. Both have areas of batter on their surfaces.
Distribution
A total of 531 struck flints was recovered from the fills of a group of features 0162 in the south part of the site. Most of the flints are unmodified flakes, often irregular hard hammer struck pieces and almost all sharp. There are very few blades and blade-like pieces. Many of the pits also contained pottery although dates are not currently available.
The largest number of pieces (177) was from pit 0163, fill 0164. Included are two small multi platform flake cores, a core fragment, five struck/tested pieces, and four shatter pieces. Retouched pieces include a retouched blade (possibly a re-used piece), an irregular leaf-shaped flake, three scrapers all with minimal retouch and three other retouched flakes.
A total of 123 flints came from pit 0177, fill 0178. One single and two multi platform flake cores and two tested or struck pieces are present. Thirteen scrapers include seven end scrapers, 4 subcircular scrapers and two side scrapers. All of them, especially the subcircular examples, are quite small. An irregular fragment may have been used as a piercer and two retouched flakes, two retouched fragments and two utilised flakes are also present.
Eighty flints were found in pit 0183, fill 0184. One squat single platform core is present. Ten scrapers include four small subcircular pieces, three small side scrapers and three end scrapers on �blade-like� flakes (Fig. 15). Also present are three retouched flakes and one utilised blade-like piece.
A total of twenty-eight flints came from pit 0187 (0188, 0216, 0217 and 0218). They include a utilised blade, a subcircular scraper and a hammerstone.
Twenty-three flints came from pit 0167, fill 0168. They include one small squat side scraper.
Nineteen flints were found in pit 0179, fill 0180.
Fourteen flints were found in pit 0185, fill 0186. These include a struck fragment, an irregular side scraper, two retouched flakes and a small hammerstone.
Thirteen flints came from pit 0171, fill 0172. They include a small neat side scraper and a single platform flake core.
Thirteen flints were found in pit 0181, fill 0182. They include one retouched flake and one utilised blade.
Eleven small flints, including a multi platform flake core were found in pit 0175, fill 0176.
Less than ten flints came from each of the remaining features belonging to group 0162:
Pit Fill
0165 0166 1 end scraper and 1 possible spurred piece
0169 0170 1 tested piece and 6 flakes
0173 0174 1 struck fragment and 2 flakes
0219 0220 7 flakes and 1 small subcircular scraper
0190 0190 1 blade-like flake
0223 0224 2 flakes
0227 0228 1 flake
A total of 58 flints came from fill 0117 of pit 0116 which also contained pottery and was located to the north of the main pit group 0162. They included four irregular side scrapers, five retouched flakes and unmodified debitage.
Part of a scraper and a flake were found, in ditch 0152; 0153 and a single flake in ditch 0154, fill 0155 both close to pit group 0162. Other flints were found in very small numbers (one or two pieces) in a small number of features in the central and western parts of the site.
Figure 15. Selection of scrapers from pit fill 0184
Discussion
The flint from the site consists mostly of hard hammer-struck material with a tendency to broad or squat flakes and relatively small numbers of blade-like pieces. There are irregular shatter pieces and very little evidence for core preparation. The cores which are present are mostly quite small and irregular. Many pieces have surfaces which were already patinated prior to use. It seems that surface-collected flint was generally used as a raw material and there are a number of irregular pieces which have been tested for use and presumably discarded when found to be unsuitable. The nature of the flint suggests that it is of later prehistoric date, probably late Neolithic to Bronze Age. One or two pieces may represent the re-use of residual earlier flint.
A relatively large number of pieces are classified as scrapers, mostly small and in many cases with only minimal retouch. However most of them are quite neat and several are small subcircular pieces, some could be classified as thumbnail types which are often associated with Beaker type pottery of later Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date (Edmonds 1995, 140). Few other tool types are present and scrapers have been recognised as the predominant tool type associated with Beaker assemblages (Cleal 1984, 151). The arrowhead, also of later Neolithic date, is of a type sometimes found in association with Beaker (mainly later Beaker) assemblages (Green 1984).
Most of the flint came from the group of pits in the south part of the site many of which also contained pottery of Beaker date. The flint is generally sharp and is probably contemporary with the use of the pits.
4.5.2 Burnt flint/stone
Eighteen contexts produced 118 fragments of burnt flint and sandstone. The majority was associated with pottery and/or flint of Early Bronze Age date. The largest groups were from pit fills 0068, 0072, 0164 and 0178.
4.6 Small Finds
The following small finds were collected. All were probably post-medieval.
1001 Ae Gilded leaf, probably machine-pressed from sheet.
1002 Fe ?Handle fragment.
1003 Fe Nail.
1004 Fe Nail.
1005 Fe Cut sheet strip fragment.
1006 Fe ?Horsehoe fragment.
1007 Fe Six nails.
4.7 Biological evidence 4.7.1 Animal bone
A complete cattle metacarpal in poor condition was found in 0065.
4.7.2 Charcoal
Fragments of charcoal were collected from 0060, 0178 and 0217.
4.7.3 Plant macrofossils
by Val Fryer
Introduction
Samples for the extraction of the plant macrofossil assemblages were taken from an extensive series of pits of Early Bronze Age to Iron Age date. Eighteen samples were submitted for assessment.
Methods
The samples were processed by manual water flotation/washover, collecting the flots in a 500 micron mesh sieve. The dried flots were scanned under a binocular microscope at magnifications up to �16, and the plant macrofossils and other remains noted are listed on Tables 7 and 8. Nomenclature within the tables follows Stace (1997). All plant remains were preserved by charring. Modern contaminants, including fibrous roots and seeds were noted throughout. The non-floating residues were collected in a 1mm mesh sieve and will be sorted, when dry, for the retrieval of artefacts and ecofacts.
Key to Tables: x � 1 � 10 specimens xx = 10 � 100 specimens xxx = 100+ specimens b = burnt
Sample No. 0164 0166 0168 0170 0178 0180 0182 0184 0217 0236
Context No. 0163 0165 0167 0169 0177 0179 0181 0183 0187 0185
Cereals
Cereal indet. (grains) xcf xcf
Tree/shrub macrofossils Corylus avellana L. xx xx x x xcf xx xx xx x xx
Other plant macrofossils Charcoal <2mm xxx xxx xxx xx xxx xx xxx xxx xx xxx
Charcoal >2mm xx x x x x x xx x
Charred root/rhizome/stem x x
Other materials Black porous 'cokey' material x x x
Black tarry material x x x x
Bone xb xb x xb xb xb
Burnt/fired clay x x x xx x x x x
Burnt stone x
Sample volume (litres) 8 10 16 8 10 8 5 8 2.5 8
Volume of flot (litres) 0.1 <0.1 0.1 <0.1 0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1
% flot sorted 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Table 7. Plant macrofossils etc. from Early Bronze Age pit fills.
Results of assessment Plant macrofossils
Cereal grains/chaff, seeds of common weed species and nutshell fragments were recovered at varying densities from fifteen samples. Preservation was poor to moderate, with a high density of the grains and seeds being puffed and distorted, probably due to high temperatures during combustion.
Grains, including specimens of barley (Hordeum sp.), were moderately common in sample 0012, although a high proportion were too severely puffed for close identification. An elongated � drop form� grain, probably of spelt (T. spelta) was noted in sample 0013, along with a single spelt glume base and an oat (Avena sp.) awn fragment.
Seeds of common weed species were only noted in samples 0012 and 0013. Fat hen
(Chenopodium album) and black bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus) seeds were abundant in sample 0012 and formed the main components of the assemblage. Other taxa noted included an indeterminate grass (Poaceae), vetch/vetchling (Vicia/Lathyrus sp.) and possibly medick/clover/trefoil (Medicago/Trifolium/Lotus sp.).
Hazel (Corylus avellana) nutshell fragments were abundant in sample 0172 and present in all the samples from the Early Bronze Age pits.
Charcoal fragments were common or abundant throughout. Pieces of charred root, rhizome or stem, including numerous fragments of heather (Ericaceae) stem, were common in samples 0012 and 0013. Indeterminate culm nodes and inflorescence fragments were also noted in sample 0012.
Other materials
The fragments of black porous �cokey� material and black tarry material may be derived from the combustion of organic remains (including cereal grains) at very high temperatures. Bone fragments were noted in nine samples, with burnt pieces occurring in samples 0070, 0172, 0164,
0166, 0178, 0180 and 0182. Fragments of burnt or fired clay (possibly pottery fragments) were noted in all but two of the Early Bronze Age pit fills.
Sample No. 0012 0013 0025 0060 0070 0172 0174 0176
Conext No. 0008 0004 0024 0058 0069 0162 0173 0175
Cereals
Avena sp. (awn) x
Cereal indet. (grains) xx x x
(detached embryos) x
Hordeum sp. (grains) xx xcf
(rachis node) xcf
Triticum sp. (grains) xcf
T. spelta L. (glume base) x
Herbs
Chenopodium album L. xx x
Chenopodiaceae indet. xxx
Fallopia convolvulus (L.)A.Love xxx
Medicago/Trifolium/Lotus sp. xcf
Small Poaceae indet. x
Vicia/Lathyrus sp. x x
Tree/shrub macrofossils Corylus avellana L. xxx x
Other plant macrofossils Charcoal <2mm xx xx xxx xxx xx xxx xxx xx
Charcoal >2mm x x xxx xx x xx x x
Charred root/rhizome/stem xx xx
Ericaceae indet. (stem) xx
Indet.culm nodes x
Indet.inflorescence frags. x
Other materials
Black porous 'cokey' material x x x x x
Black tarry material x x x
Bone x xb xb
Burnt concretions xx
Burnt/fired clay x x x
Burnt stone x
Small mammal/anphibian bone x xb
Small coal frags. x
Sample volume (litres) 4 5 4 12 4 8 5 3
Volume of flot (litres) <0.1 <0.1 0.1 0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1
% flot sorted 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Table 8. Plant macrofossils etc. from other contexts.
Discussion
The Early Bronze Age pit fills (Table 7)
The composition of these assemblages is strikingly similar. Although generally very small (<0.1 litres volume), each assemblage contains hazel nutshell fragments and charcoal, and most also contain burnt bone fragments and possible small pieces of pot. Such uniformity is unusual, but may be the result of the incorporation of material spread from a common source. It is not known at present whether such a source (for example a focus of domestic activity or a cremation pyre) was located during excavation.
Although undated at present, the assemblages from samples 0172 and 0174 (Table 2) are sufficiently similar to those noted above to be of the same Early Bronze Age date.
Other Early Bronze Age features (Table 8)
Sample 0013 was taken from a layer overlying pit 0004. The assemblage contains cereal grains/chaff, weed seeds and common heather stem fragments, and would appear to be derived
from domestic hearth waste. Assuming that the material is not intrusive, the occurrence of spelt in an Early Bronze Age context is very unusual. It is of especial note that the earliest record of this crop from the region to date is from a contemporary context at West Row Fen (Martin and Murphy 1988), situated only a few miles to the south west of the current site.
Iron Age pit 0008 (Table 8)
Sample 0012 was taken from the basal fill of pit 0008. The assemblage consists almost entirely of black bindweed seeds, with high densities of fat hen, barley and unidentified cereal grains also being present. Although unusual, this assemblage may possibly be derived from an advanced stage of cereal processing, where seeds and seed heads of a similar size to the grains are removed by hand picking. It is tentatively suggested that parts of this assemblage may have been fired on more than one occasion, as some seeds/grains are far more heavily burnt than others.
Other samples (Table 8)
The assemblages from samples 0025, 0060, 0070 and 0176 contain insufficient material to be conclusively interpreted.
Conclusions and recommendations for further work
In summary, the assemblages from the Early Bronze Age pits are very uniform in character and would appear to share a common source. The spelt chaff (and possible grain) from sample 0013 is an unusual find for the period and may be a further record of early spelt use/production in this part of Suffolk. Sample 0012, from pit 0008 may indicate that cereal processing formed part of the local economy during the Iron Age.
Although many of the samples are of potential interest, the assemblages are very small and insufficient material is available to allow meaningful analysis. Therefore, no further work is recommended at this stage. However, should further excavations be undertaken in this area, it is strongly recommended that additional samples of the largest possible volume be taken (i.e. complete pit fills) to facilitate analysis. If such work does occur, it may be possible to integrate the current samples into an extended analytical programme at a later stage.
4.8 Discussion of the finds evidence
Finds and environmental evidence from the group of Early Bronze Age pits on this site suggests that they were fairly uniform in nature and that the deposits may have been derived from a common source. The material appears to be domestic waste and probably indicates occupation in the near vicinity.
Later material included Iron Age pottery from four contexts, a single sherd of Roman pottery, a piece of lava quern and a fragment of ceramic building material of uncertain date. Several metal small finds were probably deposited as a result of casual loss or manuring in the post-medieval period. Therefore, there is no evidence that this site was used intensively after the Early Bronze Age, and had probably reverted to agricultural land by the Iron Age.
5. General Discussion
5.1. General
The excavation was requested in advance of development due to the richness of archaeological material in the surrounding area, particularly the system of a Roman trackway and associated fields and pens at ERL 089. Therefore there was potential for multi-period activity on the site, in particular possible further evidence of the ERL 089 trackway and field system, as this system would, if it headed directly towards the fen edge, pass through the site.
The excavation uncovered a relatively undisturbed landscape, the subsoil consisted of a mix of sands and gravels with occasional pockets of windblown sand filling gentle depressions in what would once have been a natural landscape of bumps and hollows. Clearly visible within this subsoil was a well-preserved, low-density spread of archaeological features across the entire site. An extension of the Late Iron Age/Roman field system of ERL 089 has been identified in addition to two other phases of prehistoric activity.
5.2. Phase I: Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age
With the exception of the three scattered pits, 0004, 0069 and 0116 all the evidence of activity in this phase occurs with the seventeen pits in group 0162 and the adjacent five pits 0221, 0223, 0227, 0229 and 0233.
These majority of these pits are substantial features and have survived intact with very little disturbance or contamination. The presence of several smaller features may be a further indication that this part of the site has seen limited truncation. Many of these pits are of a similar size and form and each pit within the group is generally filled with a similar deposit, of sands mixed with quantities of charcoal, indicating that these pits were infilled in a single short deposition. Samples from these pits are being assessed for radiocarbon dating and any results will be included at a later date with the site archive.
The finds from the individual pits are also very similar, forming a combined assemblage of over eighty, late Beaker, domestic vessels, together with an assemblage of flint flakes and tools which are characteristically associated with Beaker ware.
The range of domestic pottery types implies that the pit group is associated with occupation activity. Within a context of occupation these features would most likely be interpreted as domestic rubbish pits. An absence of burning of the surrounding natural sand within each pit shows that they are not hearths and the charcoal deposits are showing deliberate infilling of open features. They also do not appear to be structural features in any way, as there is no discernible pattern to their spatial distribution or any sign of post settings.
Other possible functions of these pits, such as in funerary or ritual activity seems unlikely. None of the pits contained any sign of cremations and this usage would not fit with the recovered assemblage of domestic pottery.
However, within the extent of the site, this group of pits is almost totally isolated from other contemporary features and there is no indication of nearby occupation. As the preservation of the natural ground surface seems good this isolation appears to be genuine, although it may be due to the pits location on the very edge of the site, or to an accident of preservation with other settlement evidence being lost. The absence of any other occupation evidence such as structures
or, in particular, any hearths as a source for the charcoal, mean it is unclear if these pits are definitely of a domestic origin. However this seems the most likely function and means that an area of occupation probably lies in the near vicinity.
It is also of note that the Late Iron Age/Early Roman ditch, 0057, has a definite, albeit minor, curve northwards in its course as it passes the pit group, before returning to its linear alignment. This implies that the excavation and backfilling filling of these pits left some sort of noticeable marker above ground, which was still visible for a considerable length of time.
Pit 0004 is of interest due to the presence of spelt in fill 0013, an unusually early context for the crop. This adds to the example of spelt found in an Early Bronze Age context at nearby West Row (Martin and Murphy 1988), further indicating that spelt was being cultivated in the fen edge region at this time.
5.3. Phase II: Iron Age
The four features identified as being Iron Age show only a limited activity in this period, concentrated in one particular area of the site. The three pits are all substantial features and the presence of charcoal and cereal grains implies that they are probably domestic refuse pits although, as with the pit group in phase 1, there is no firm evidence of contemporary settlement in the immediate vicinity. . They are somewhat similar to the Middle Iron Age pits in ERL 089 (Caruth 2003) and may represent that phase of activity extending over a wider area. The ditch 0002 appears to be contemporary although it may be a later feature relating to the phase IIIa ditch system.
5.4. Phase III: Late Iron Age/ Early Roman Phase IIIa: Late Iron Age/ Early Roman
This phase consists of a network of east-west and north-south ditches which cover the majority of the site. Due to the almost total lack of finds from these ditches they are largely undatable, however the assumption has been made that they form part of the same field system seen in ERL 089, which was more firmly dated (Caruth, 2003). This is because the features on the two sites show extremely similar spatial characteristics in terms of layout and alignment and the sites ought to be regarded together as showing one Late Iron Age/Early Roman field system.
The central components of activity in this phase are the two east-west aligned ditches, 0057 and 0082, which run parallel to each other, 11m apart, for a distance of at least 100m. They appear to be marking some sort of trackway and this is very similar in terms of alignment and size to the trackway identified in ERL 089, 100m to the east. The trackway in ERL 089 was slightly wider at 15m, but is clearly on the same alignment, albeit offset to the north by approximately 65m (Fig. 16). This indicates that the trackways may be contemporary, but separate features, as the offset between the two seems too large to allow them to be the same linear feature, even when the shifting in position of the ERL 089 trackway is taken into consideration. Alternatively they may form a single continuous trackway, zig-zagging across the landscape.
Due to the lack of dating evidence though it is impossible to determine conclusively whether these two trackways are contemporary, or whether one is a replacement of the other. Further evidence of these trackways seems to have been found in monitoring of trenches at ERL 112 (Caruth, 2002). On this site ditches 0003 and 0004 appear to mark the continuing line of the
northern edge of the ERL 089 trackway (Fig. 16) and other ditches in sites ERL 111 and ERL 112 appear to follow either the east-west or north-south alignments of this field system.
Together these trackways seem to be part of a livestock management system. Caruth (2003) suggests that the trackway in ERL 089 was a route to move livestock between winter pasture on the heathland to the east and summer pasture to the west on the fen-edge. What type of livestock this was is unclear, but it has been suggested as being most likely to be sheep due to the size of the trackways and associated enclosures. The ditch system in this site supports this theory, showing the continuation of a trackway eastwards to the fen edge, albeit offset to the south.
� Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council
Licence No. 100023395 2005.
ERL 089
ERL 112
ERL 120
0 50 100
metres
Figure 16. Trackway ditches in ERL 120, ERL 112 and ERL 089.
In addition to 0057 and 0082 there is a series of north-south ditches (0077, 0079/0080, 0124, 0125, 0130, 0136, 0151 and 0152), that run across and beyond the trackway. Relationships are generally unclear and so there is little stratigraphic evidence but it seems that they are all broadly contemporary. Where these ditches extend north and south of the trackway they are most likely marking the division of the surrounding landland into fields and paddocks.
Unlike the north-south ditches in ERL 089, those that cross the trackway in ERL 120 appear to do so fully, hence blocking it completely. At ERL 089 these north-south ditches only partially blocked the trackway, implying some sort of gated management system to control the movement of animals (Caruth, 2003). It is less clear whether this applies on this site, it is possible that the north-south ditches did only block part of the trackway at any one time but have been moved or recut leaving the impression of a total blockage. Alternatively it may be that some of these north- south ditches are not contemporary with the trackway. They could be earlier field boundaries that have been cut through or are later additions to the field system once the track had fallen out of use.
Of particular interest with this field system is the similarity of the alignment of the trackways with the alignment of the eastern end of the modern Lords Walk road. The western part of Lords Walk currently turns slightly and runs along the south edge of the site, however if the line of the eastern part of Lords Walk is extended, it directly corresponds with the ERL 120 trackway (Fig. 17). With the ERL 089 trackway being offset to the north of this proposed route, but parallel to it, this may be showing that Lords Walk was originally based upon an older route, or aligned with the associated field system. Caruth (2003) has suggested that Lords Walk is an ancient route that can be seen as originating in these trackways running west from the heathland of Breckland to the fen edge to the east.
� Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Suffolk County Council
Licence No. 100023395 2005.
Approximate fen-edge visible on 1946 Aerial Photograph
ERL 089 trackway
ERL 120 trackway
Lord's Walk
0 250 500
metres
Figure 17. ERL 089 and 0120 track alignments in relation to Lords Walk and the fen edge
The relationship of the ERL 120 trackway with the nearby fen edge is also of note as it lends support to the idea that the trackways were designed to move livestock towards it. The line of the fen edge extends eastwards at this point to within 200m of ERL 120, as seen on an aerial photograph of 1946, although this has since been affected by the creation of the �Cut Off� channel. The line of the trackway is heading directly towards this point and appears to be marking the shortest route to the fen edge. At the western end of the site, ditch 0057 clearly
corners and heads south and this may represent the end of the trackway as it nears the fens. Livestock that had been driven to this point would then presumably be moved into the fen edge field systems.
As with ERL 089 no farm or domestic buildings have been identified in this phase. The ditches of ERL 089 though did contain quantities of pottery implying that domestic occupation was probably nearby to the north. In ERL 111 areas of buried soil, rich with finds, seem to be scattered midden deposits and this indicated possible settlement as opposed to agricultural use in this area (Caruth, 2002). The near total absence of pottery and other evidence of Late Iron Age/Early Roman domestic occupation in ERL 120 may be indicating that, as the trackway heads east towards its end on the fen edge, it is moving further away from the settlement area.
Phase IIIB: Roman
Ditches 0064 and 0207 are on a slightly different alignment to those in phase IIIA and they probably represent minor alterations to the earlier field system rather than a complete change to it. This is because they still seem to be respecting the earlier trackway, ditch 0064 butt ends over 0057 before it crosses the trackway itself.
5.5. Phase IV: Post-Medieval
This phase, consisting of a small scatter of small finds in spread 0189, does not indicate a substantial level of activity. As the finds were probably deposited during agricultural manuring practices in the post-medieval period they demonstrate that the site was probably in use as open agricultural land at this time.
5.6. Unphased
Unphased pits and ditches are scattered across the site and there are few conclusions to be drawn from them. Ditches 0103 and 0026 may possibly be associated with the Roman ditch system while 0203 and 0205 are clearly later. Several pits have stratigraphic relationships with the Roman ditch system, 0053, 0061, 0072, 0109 and 0156. Three of these (0061, 0072 and 0109) can be seen to be cut by the later Roman ditches and so are prehistoric in date and it seems likely that many of the other scattered features are also of prehistoric date.
6. Conclusions
The excavation has shown four phases of activity, of which two are of particular interest, the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pit cluster and the continuation of a Late Iron Age/Early Roman trackway and field system continuing westwards from ERL 089 towards the fens.
The Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pit group, 0162, is most likely a well preserved group of domestic rubbish pits, although there is an absence of any contemporary occupation or settlement evidence in the vicinity. Radiocarbon dates for samples from these pits will be obtained at a later date and included with the site archive.
The field system is a continuation of sites seen at ERL 089, ERL 111 and ERL112 and is therefore probably associated with the Late Iron Age and Roman settlement at Caudle Head mere. The dispersed settlement around Caudle Head mere was known to extend south to ERL 089 and this site is further evidence of the fen edge systems of agricultural landuse that are
associated with it. The site has a lack of any other occupation evidence from the period, implying that the settlement itself does not extend in this direction.
The evidence of a west-east aligned trackway, similar to that seen in ERL 089, adds further support to the theory proposed by Caruth (2003) that there was a trackway system for the movement of livestock, from the heathland to the west to the fen edge pastures. Finally this site also supports the idea that the route of these trackways has possibly survived in the line of the modern day Lords walk road.
As there is an absence of any other evidence after the Roman period, with the exception of the post-medieval spread 0189, it is likely that the site then became open agricultural land, and has remained so through to the present day.
7. Recommendations
The site has identified two phases of activity which are of particular interest. Possible further work concerning the Iron Age/Roman trackway is limited however, as with the completion of the development no further excavation is possible and there was virtually no artefactual evidence recovered. However evidence for the possible droveway will be considered when other RAF Lakenheath sites of Iron Age/Roman date are assessed for overall analysis and publication. Any future development in the vicinity may also affect further evidence of this track and field system, and ought to involve archaeological work with the aim of establishing the full course of these droveways.
The Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age finds assemblage, the majority of which was recovered from 0162, a discrete group of undisturbed features, is worth further analysis and possible publication, perhaps as a paper for inclusion in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History. A more detailed study of the ceramic and flint assemblages, together with selected illustration of the pottery, and, where possible, further enviromental analysis and radiocarbon dating of the pit deposits, is required to fully assess this phase of activity.
Again, any future development within the vicinity has the potential to affect contemporary Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age occupation evidence and ought to involve archaeological input to see whether this pit group is part of a wider phase of settlement.
References
1946 RAF Series Aerial photograph 106G/UK 155Y 1022.
Ashwin, T., 1998. �Excavations at Salter�s Lane, Longham, 1990 Neolithic and Bronze Age Features and
Artefacts. Norfolk Archaeology XLIII part I.
Ashwin, T, 2001. �Exploring Bronze Age Norfolk: Longham and Bittering� in Bronze Age Landscapes
Tradition and Transformation. Br�ck J. (ed). Oxbow.
Bamford, H., 1982. Beaker domestic sites in the Fen Edge and East Anglia, East Anglian Archaeology
16.
Boast, R., 1995. �Fine pots, pure pots, Beaker pots in Kinnes I. and Varndell G. �Unbaked Urns of Rudely
Shape� Essays on British and Irish Prehistory for Ian Longworth. Oxbow Monograph 55. Caruth, J., 2003, Child Development Centre, RAF Lakenheath, ERL 089, SCCAS Report No. 2003/100. Caruth, J., 2002, Improve Military Family Housing, RAF Lakenheath, ERL111 and ERL112. SCCAS
Report No. 2002/68.
Cleal, R., 1984 �The Later Neolithic in Eastern England� in Bradley, R. and Gardiner ed. J., Neolithic
Studies, A Review of Some Current Research, BAR British Series 133. Edmonds, M., 1995, Stone Tools and Society, Batsford.
Gibson, A.M., 1982. Beaker Domestic Sites, a study of the Domestic Pottery of the Late Third and Early Second Millennium BC in the British Isles, British Archaeological Report 107, Oxford.
Green, S., 1984, �Flint Arrowheads: Typology and Interpretation�, The Newsletter of the Lithic Studies Society No. 5.
Healy, F., 1988. The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Spong Hill, North Elmham, part VI: Occupation During the Seventh to Second Millennium BC, East Anglian Archaeology 39.
Healy, F., 1996.The Fenland Project, Number 11: The Wissey Embayment: Evidence for pre-Iron Age Occupation, East Anglian Archaeology 78.
Kinnes, I., Gibson, A., Ambers, J., Bowman, S., Leese, M., and Boast, R.,1991. �Radiocarbon dating and British Beakers: the British Museum programme� Scottish Archaeological Review 8, 35-78.
Martin, E. 1993. �The Little Bealings Site� in Martin E. Settlements on Hill-Tops: Seven Prehistoric Sites in Suffolk. East Anglian Archaeology 65. Suffolk County Planning Department.
Martin, E. and Murphy, P., 1988, �West Row Fen, Suffolk: a Bronze Age fen-edge settlement site,� Antiquity 62, 353-8.
Prehistoric Ceramic Research Group, 1992. Guidelines for the Analysis and Publication. PCRG, Occasional Paper 2.
Stace, C., 1997 New Flora of the British Isles. Second edition. Cambridge University Press.
under spotdate phase III III III III III III I I I I I Page 1 of 15
Rom+ EBA EBA EBA EBA
0217
over 0238
cutby
cuts
description Fill of posthole 0201. Dark brown sand fill. Narrow, linear ditch, paired with 0205, aligned SW-NE. Fill of ditch 0203. Mid orange/brown sand fill. Narrow, linear ditch, paired with 0203, aligned SW-NE. Fill of ditch 0205. Mid orange/brown sand fill. E-W ditch which runs W from junction with 0064. Is northernmost of 3 ditches (0207, 0209 and 0211) that appear as one on surface. Relationships with 0064 unclear. Fill of ditch 0207. Brown silt with some pebbles. Similar to 0207. Shallow cut. Parallel. Fill of 0209. Brown sand. Parallel to 0207 and 0209. Fill of ditch 0211. Brown sand with occasional stones. E-W running, distinct cut. Grey sand and chalk fill. Not field ditch- possibly part of structure. Shallow, wide pit. Pale grey sand fill. Small pit. W end of site. Orange/brown sand, pit fill outside and under 0188. Neolithic & Bronze Age pit. Over 0217. Some stones. Pottery found. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Grey/brown sand fill with occasional charcoal patches. Bronze Age pit with lots of flints and some pottery. Over 0218. Some stones in fill. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Fill of pit 0187. Grey/brown sand under 0217. Quite gravelly. Pottery found. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Pit adjacent to 0187. Oval, with sloped sides. 1.02m wide, 1.06m long, 0.40m deep. 100% excavated. Part of group 0162. Fills 0219 and 0238. Upper fill of pit 0219. Dark grey/brown sand with some stones. Very similar/same as 0188.
Appendix 1: context list component identifier Posthole fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Trench cut Pit cut Pit cut Pit fill 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162
opno feature 0203 0205 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase I I I I I I I I I I III III I I II Page 2 of 15
EBA EBA
0019 0013
over
cutby
cuts
description Posthole/pit- initially underdug. Fe pan lining. Appeared to be a well-defined feature, but base is very unclear with dark natural- could be affected by roots/animal disturbance. 100% excavated. Fill of posthole/pit 0221. Dark brown fill. Appeared to be a well-defined feature, but base is very unclear with dark natural- could be affected by roots/animal disturbance. 100% excavated. Lies slightly apart from 0162 group and fill differs. Possible pit cut, could be single pot burial(?). Animal disturbed. 100% excavated. On surface clean soil abutts against pottery. Fill of pit 0223. Mainly consisting of pot(?). Affected by animal run. Shallow pit just visible on very edge of site. Adjacent to 0175. Part of pit group 0162. Dark brown sand and charcoal fill of pit 0225. Small pit/posthole. Lies slightly apart from group 0162 and fill differs. Pottery and flint found. Post position at one end. 100% excavated. Fill of pit/posthole 0227. Filled with soft, even brown sand. Pottery and flint found. Posthole with post position at one end. Fill of posthole 0229. Filled with even, soft, brown sand. Unstratified finds N-S ditch at W end of site. Vertical-sided with a flat base. W-E section drawn. 0.60m deep. Fill of ditch 0002. Mid brown sand, becoming lighter and more orange towards base of feature. Occasional stones. No finds. Excavated using shovel. Pit at W end of site, with gently sloping sides and a curved base. Circular in plan. E-W section drawn. Fills- general 0005, also 0013 given to layer of black sand and charcoal. 0.36m deep. 50% excavated, using shovel. Fill of pit 0004. Mixed sands, mainly light-mid brown sand with lenses of black sand & charcoal (0013) and light grey sand. Occasional stones. 1.7m wide N-S, 1.35m long EW, 0.36m deep. 50% excavated, using shovel. Circular pit with gently sloping sides and a curved base. N-S section drawn. Fill 0007. 1m wide N-S, 1m long E-W, 0.38m deep. 50% excavated, using shovel. Fill of pit 0006. Mid grey/brown sand with occasional stones. Some bright orange sand towards the bottom, possibly natural. 50% excavated, using shovel. Circular pit, fairly steep-sided with a curved base. N-S section drawn. Fills 0009, 0012 & 0014. 1.75m wide N-S, 1.9m long E-W, 0.90m deep. 50% excavated, using shovel.
component identifier Posthole/pit cut Posthole/pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Posthole cut Posthole fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut
0162 0162
opno feature 0001 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase II II I II Page 3 of 15
Med+ IA? EBA EBA IA?
0009
over 0005 0009
cutby
cuts
description Fill of pit 0008, mainly mid brown/grey sand with light grey sand band running through the base. There is also a layer of black sand/charcoal at the top of the pit (0014), below which is a small area of dark brown sand. Some stones. Pottey & 'other' found. 50% excavated, using shovel. Circular pit with sloping sides and a curved base. The pit was excavated to the S & E-W section drawn. The remaining N portion extends off-site. Fill- 0011. 1.3m wide E-W, 1.1m long N-S, 0.40m deep. 50% excavated, using shovel. Fill of pit 0010, mainly grey/brown sand with some darker sand to the base, as well as some bright orange patches. 50% excavated, using shovel. Black sand/charcoal layer at the base of pit 0008. Approx. 0.30m diameter. Produced some pottery. 100% excavated, using shovel. Environmental soil sample taken. Black sand/charcoal layer from the top of pit 0004, (see section). 0.75m wide W-E, 0.15m deep. 100% excavated, using shovel. Environmental soil sample taken. Black sand/charcoal layer from the top of pit 0008, (see section). Pottery found. 0.40m wide N-S, 0.04m deep. 100% excavated, using shovel. Rounded cut of pit. Steep-sided, with a slightly curving base. W-E section drawn. Fill- 0016. 1.25m wide W-E, 1.2m long N-S, 0.48m deep. Fill of pit 0015. Mixed sands, mainly mid grey/brown with some darker brown lenses of sand towards base. Occasional dark charcoal staining. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Circular pit with gently sloping sides and rounded base. N-S section drawn. 1m wide NS, 1m long E-W, 0.19m deep. 50% excavated, using shovel. Fill of pit 0017. Mid brown sand. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Top fill of ditch 0002. Mid-dark brown sand with some charcoal. Pottery found. Excavated using trowel and shovel. Cut of shallow, circular pit. NW-SE section. 0.90m wide N-S, 0.80m long E-W, 0.20m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Fill of pit 0020. Mid-dark grey sand with frequent small flints/stones and some charcoal staining. Appears to be one pit on surface but in section it could be two pits(?). 50% excavated. Pit that has been badly excavated due to animal disturbance. Possibly oval in plan, limits unknown (see plan). N-S section drawn. Fill 0023. Depth 0.20m. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Fill of possible pit 0022. Mid brown/grey sand. Lots of animal disturbance.
component identifier Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit fill Layer Layer Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Ditch fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill
opno feature 0020 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase II II Page 4 of 15
IA?
over
cutby
cuts
description Circular pit, sloping gradually to the W and more steeply to the E. Curved base. Fill- 0025. W-E section drawn. 0.40m wide, 0.38m long. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Environmental soil sample taken. Fill of pit 0024. Very dark at the top, with yellow sand at the base. Environmental soil sample taken. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Cut of linear feature/possible ditch. Runs N-S. Appears to butt just S of N edge of site. Fairly steep sides. Flat base. 0.60m wide E-W, 0.25m deep. Excavated using trowel and shovel. Adjacent to 0024. Mid brown sand fill of possible ditch 0026. 0.25m deep. Linear feature running NW-SE. Section dug NE-SW through it and drawn. Runs for at least 2m, maybe to N end of site. 0.88m wide NE-SW, 0.47m deep. Mid-dark brown sand fill of possible ditch 0028. Excavated using trowel and shovel. Possible pit to the N edge of site. One half unexcavated. Looks to be circular with gently sloping sides and a curved base. Sectioned N-S & drawn. Fill- 0031. Pottery found. 25% excavated, using trowel and shovel. SAME AS 0088! Fill of possible pit 0030. Mid-dark grey/brown sand. 25% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Same as 0089. Rounded pit. Very steep-sides with flat base. 1.04m wide N-S, 0.95m long W-E, 0.40m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Mid-dark brown sand fill of 0032. 0.40m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Some animal disturbance. Oval-shaped pit with gently sloping sides and curved base. Section drawn N-S. Fill- 0035. Possibly overcut. 0.37m wide, 0.70m long, 0.17m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Fill of pit 0034. Mid-dark brown sand with occasional stones. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Curving feature running approx W-E from W edge of site. Butt-ends before ditch running S-N. Sections drawn at 0037 and 0038. 0.50m wide N-S, approx 4m long, 0.17m deep. Excavated using trowel and shovel. Fill of feature 0036. Consistent mid-dark grey/brown sand. Excavated using trowel and shovel. Section of 0036/0039.
component identifier Pit cut Pit fill Linear feature cut Linear feature fill Linear feature cut Linear feature fill Pit(?) cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Linear feature cut Linear feature fill Section
opno feature 0024 0026 0036 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase III III III III Page 5 of 15
over
cutby
cuts
description Circular pit cut through linear feature 0036. Seems to have sloping sides and a curved base but limits are practically unknown as dug as part of section 0038. 0.50m wide N-S, 0.37m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Fill of pit 0039. Essentially the same as 0038 ditch fill, as pit cuts ditch. Dark brown/grey sand with occasional stones and a bright orange patch top. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Small, almost circular pit at SW corner of site. Gently sloping sides and a curved base. NW-SE section drawn. Fill- 0042. 0.34m wide NW-SE, 0.33m SW-NE, 0.13m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel. Fill of pit 0041. Three distinct layers, dark grey sand at the top, bright orange in the middle and mid brown sand at the bottom possibly natural. Possibly overcut to SE and to base. 50% excavated, using trowel. Small circular pit adjacent to 0041. Gently sloping sides and a curved base. Section drawn SE-NW. Fill- 0044. 0.50m wide, 0.35m long, 0.14m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel. Fill of pit 0043. Slightly darker brown sand than the surrounding natural. 50% excavated, using trowel. Oval, irregular pit aligned W-E. 0.70m wide, 1.5m long, 0.37m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel. Fill of pit 0045. Mid grey and dark grey sand fill. 0.70m wide, 1.5m long, 0.37m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel. Oval, irregular pit aligned W-E. 0.90m long, 0.33m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel. Fill of pit 0047. Dark grey sand, 1 patch of charcoal. 50% excavated, using trowel. One of two ditches running N-S together, which then turn to run W-E at the N as 0057. This is the ditch to the E. Possible recut of an earlier ditch. Gently sloping sides and a curved base. 0.46m wide, 0.17m deep. Excavated using shovel. Fill of ditch 0049. Dark grey/brown sand with occasional stones. Excavated using shovel. Second of two ditches running N-S. This is the ditch to the W of 0049. Possibly a recut. The ditch has gradually sloping sides and round base. 0.60m wide W-E, 0.26m deep. Excavated using shovel. Fill of ditch 0051. Darkgrey/brown sand with occasional stones. Excavated using shovel. Posthole directly to the W of ditch 0051. Shown in the same section. Possibly circular cut with quite steep sides and a slightly curved base. 0.27m wide W-E, 0.30m long N-S, 0.20m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel.
component identifier Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Ditch cut 0057 Ditch fill 0057 Ditch cut 0057 Ditch fill 0057 Posthole cut
opno feature 0039 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase III III III III III III III I I Page 6 of 15
Preh
over
cutby 0064 0203, 0205 0057
cuts 0072 0061 0072 0077 0134 0136 0138 0140 0147 0061
description Fill of posthole 0053. Dark grey/brown sand with occasional stones, which is similar to that of the adjacent ditches. 50% excavated, using trowel. Narrow ditch aligned NE-SW. Joins 0057 at N end. Relationship unclear. At S end, joins with butt-end of 0057. Relationship unclear. See context sheet for sketch plans. See also 0072. Mid grey sand fill of 0055. Ditch that runs the length of the site, through the centre. E-W aligned. Various sections. Corners at W end and splits into 0049 and 0051. Merges at 0072 (relationship unclear) and continues S. Unclear relationship with 0152. See sections 0063, 0065/0066, 0083, 0087, 0093, 0118, 0133 and 0160. Large, circular, bowl-shaped pit. Fills- 0059 and 0060. 1.5m wide, 1.6m long, 0.65m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel. Flint found. Thin upper fill of 0058. Mid brown sand. Main fill of 0058. Black sand and charcoal, undisturbed burnt flint. Flint found. 3 bags of soil samples taken. Oval, irregular pit. Fill of pit 0061. Mid brown sand, some gravel. Deposit of flints and charcoal along base & sides. Section and fill of 0057 where it cuts 0061. Pale grey/brown sand. Broad N-S ditch. Cuts through 0057 then butt-ends. Approx 1.6m wide. See section 0192. Joins 0207 but relationship unclear. Fill of 0064 in section where it cuts 0057. Mid brown sand. Fill of 0057 in section where it's cut by 0057. Oval, irregular, shallow, medium-sized pit. 1m wide, 1.3m long, 0.10m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Fill of pit 0067. Mid greyish-brown silty sand. Frequent small stones. Heat affected flints from upper level of fill only. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Flint found. Roughly circular pit cut. Steep-sided, with flattish base. Central fill of charcoal. 0.55m wide E-W, 0.50m long N-S, 0.32m deep. Originally 50% excavated, then 100%, using trowel and shovel. Central charcoal-rich fill of pit 0069. 1 bag of soil sample taken. Originally 50% excavated, then 100%, using trowel and shovel. Machined. Pottery & 'other' found.
component identifier Posthole fill Ditch cut 0057 Ditch fill 0057 Ditch cut 0057 Pit cut Pit fill Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Ditch fill/section Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill
opno feature 0058 0061 0061 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase I II II II III III III III III III III III III III Page 7 of 15
IA? IA?
0075
over 0076 0109
cutby 0055, 0057 0082(?)
cuts 0077, 0080
description Outer fill of pit 0069. Mid grey/brown sand. Some animal disturbance. Machined. Excavated using trowel and shovel. Circular. Black sand and burnt stones. Cut by ditches 0055 & 0057. Fill of pit 0072. Black sand and burnt stones. Large, circular pit. One of a group of pits close to the N edge of the site opposite first site entrance. Episodic filling with banded layers of pale brown and silver/grey sands. Finds from 0075 and 0076. 2m wide, 0.80m deep. 50% excavated. Upper fill of pit 0074. Thin layer of dark grey, charcoal-rich sand. Pottery found. Main fill of pit 0074. Silver/grey fine sand. Above basal layer of pale sand. Pottery found. Narrow linear ditch running approx N-S across the middle of the site. Butt ends just N of the S edge of the site. Steep-sided, V-shaped profile. 0.40-50m wide, 0.30m deep. Sections at 0078, 0093 and 0198. Relationship with 0098 unclear. Fill of ditch 0077 in 0.80m long section dug adjacent to pit 0069. Mid grey/brown sand fill. 0.30m deep. Excavated using trowel and shovel. Ditch running S-N across site from ditch 0082 into S edge of site. See context sheet for sketch plan of ditch. See sections 0083, 0084, 0086, 0096 and 0197. Smaller ditch coming off 0079, running N, parallel with it, butt-ending just the other side of 0082. Relationship- 0082 probably cuts 0080. See section 0096. Small ditch coming off 0079 and butt-ending in N. Doesn't go more than 4 metres. See 0079 and section 0083. Ditch running WNW-ENE from N side of site, going by ditch 0079 and probably cutting 0080. Appears to go right to the top (East) of site. From the surface it appears that 0082 cuts ditch 0077 although no section was dug to confirm this. See sections 0092 and 0096 Section cut from where ditches 0079, 0081 and 0057 meet. No relationships are visisble. No finds, so no additional fill numbers given. Section through ditches 0079, 0057 and 0081. No relationships, though possibly 0081 cuts 0079. No further fill numbers given as there were no finds. See context sheet for sketch plan. Fill and section of butt-end of ditch 0081. Section through ditches 0079 and 0080 where they meet. No relationship visible. No finds.
component identifier Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit Pit fill Pit fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch cut Ditch cut Ditch cut Section Ditch section Ditch fill Section
opno feature 0079 0081 0057 0079 0081 0057 0079 0080 04 March 2005
0083 0084 0086
under spotdate phase III II II III III III III III III III Page 8 of 15
Rom Preh
over
cutby
cuts
description Section of 0057. Mid brown sand. Circular pit. 50% under site edge. Steep-sided with a concave base. 1.8m wide, 0.60m deep. SAME AS 0030! Mid brown and dark grey sand fill of 0088. Same as 0031. Small, circular posthole with a concave base. 0.20m diameter, 0.12m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel. Fill of posthole 0090. Dark brown/black sand and charcoal. 50% excavated, using trowel. 3m length of 0082 excavated just E of junction with 0079. Ditch filled with single layer of pale-mid brown sand. No finds. Section where ditch 0077 cuts 0057. Large circular pit. Excavated against the N edge of the site. Fill of pit 0094. Mid-pale brown sand. Stoney. Stacked with layers of Iron pan. Main bulk of pit filled with a single layer, but thin horizon of charcoal at the base. Section at junction of ditches 0079, 0080 and 0082. All ditches filled with a similar pale brown sand but section suggests 0082 cuts 0080. Relationship between 0079 and 0082 is unclear. Fill of ditch 0082 within section 0096. Pale brown sand with common small stones. Single pot sherd found. Narrow, shallow ditch running E-W just N of and parallel to ditch 0082. Emerges from the N edge of the site at intersection with 0077 (relationship unclear). 0098 has rounded butt-end and dwindles to nought at east end with gravel patch near section 0092. Single fill of pale brown sand. 0.30m wide, 0.10m deep. Fill of ditch 0098. Single infilling of pale brown, stoney sand. Fill of ditch 0057 where it is probably cut by 0077. Pottery found. Fill from ditch 0077 where it probably cuts 0057. Small, irregular pit filled with pale brown sand. Possibly natural feature. Narrow ditch running E-W between ditch 0082 and the N edge of the site. Emerges from N edge of the site on slightly curving arc and terminates in a rounded butt-end. Filled with a single layer of pale brown sand. Two sections excavated (0104, 0105) producing no finds. Middle section of ditch 0103. Deep, U-shaped profile. Single fill of mid-pale brown sand. Common stones as natural.
component identifier Ditch section/fill Pit cut Pit fill Posthole cut Posthole fill Ditch section Ditch section Pit cut Pit fill Ditch section Ditch fill Ditch cut & fill Ditch fill Ditch fill Ditch fill Pit cut & fill Ditch cut & fill Ditch section
0082 0057 0077
opno feature 0057 0077 0079 0080 0082 04 March 2005
0093 0096
under spotdate phase I I Page 9 of 15
EBA
over
cutby
cuts 0136, 0140(?)
description Butt-end terminus of ditch 0103. Shallower than rest of ditch but with a distinct end. Single fill of pale-mid brown sand. Small, very shallow, circular posthole. 0.40m wide, 0.40m long, 0.06m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel. No section drawn. Fill of posthole 0106. Dark grey sand and charcoal. 50% excavated, using trowel. Shallow, rectangular posthole/pit just N of butt-end of 0103. Single fill of dark brown sand- good posthole. 0.35m wide, 0.50m long, 0.10m deep. Small charcoal filled pit or posthole cut into S edge of ditch 0082. Not apparent until removal of the fill of 0082 although the fill of 0082 is darker here than rest of length. Shallow posthole. 0.40m wide, 0.40m long, 0.10m deep. Fill of posthole 0110. Dark grey sand/charcoal fill. Shallow, bowl-shaped pit. 1m wide, 1m long, 0.25m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel. Fill of pit 0112. Dark brown sand with some gravel. 50% excavated, using trowel. Irregular feature S of 0082, alongside posthole 0109. Dark charcoal-flecked sand- possible tree-bowl. Not drawn. 0.45m wide, 0.40m deep. Shallow bowl-type feature alongside 0114. S of 0082. Single fill of pale brown, stony sand. Long, narrow, oval-shaped pit, packed with flint waste(?) flakes. Steep-sided. Photographed under fill number (0117). Adjacent to 0123. 0.80m wide N-S, 2.18m long E-W, 0.20m deep. Pottery and flint found. Fill of pit 0116. Dark grey/brown sand. Filled with numerous flint flakes. 0.20m deep. Pottery and flint found. 50% then 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Fill from ditch 0057 where it cuts ditches 0140 and 0136. Narrow ditch aligned NE-SW, joins 0125 (relationship unclear), same as 0147? Fill of ditch 0119. Mid grey sand fill. Steep-sided, concave-based pit. 0.60m wide, 0.70m long, 0.35m deep. Fill of pit 0121. Dark grey/black sand fill. Large, rounded, shallow pit. Adjacent to 0116. 1.6m wide N-S, 1.36m long E-W, 0.14m deep.
component identifier Ditch section Posthole cut Posthole fill Pit/posthole Pit/posthole Posthole cut Posthole fill Pit cut Pit fill Feature Pit cut & fill Pit cut Pit fill Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut
opno feature 0110 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase III III III III III III III III III III III III III Page 10 of 15
over
cutby 0057 0057(?) 0057, 0134, 0057(?)
cuts 0150
description Ditch running N-S, adjacent to and parallel with ditch 0125 at E end of site. 0124 is W of ditch 0125. Ditches 0124 and 0125 merge into 0140 (relationship unclear) at S end just before junction with ditch 0057. Joins 0150 at N end. Continues as 0134? See sections 0127, 0240. See 0124 for details. Ditch 0125 E of and parallel to ditch 0124. Joins 0151, continues as 0138? See 0127. Fill of pit 0123. Mid grey/brown sand. 1.6m wide N-S, 1.36m long E-W, 0.14m deep. 50% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Photographed as 0123. 0.70m section through ditches 0124 and 0125 to establish relationship, however, relationhsip remained unclear. Fill of ditch 0124 at section 0127. Light brown silty sand. Occasional small stones. Fill of ditch 0125 at section 0127. Light brown silty sand. Very occasional small stones. N-S ditch at E end of site. Shallow, gentle slope, flat base. On surface, appears to be cut by 0057. See also 0132/0133. Fill of ditch 0130. Mid grey/brown sand fill. Fill of ditch 0130 at junction with 0057. Appears to be cut by 0057 on surface, but this is unclear in section. Mid brown sand. Mid brown sand fill of ditch 0057 at junction with 0130. Narrow, shallow ditch running NW-SE. Continuation of 0124(?). Cuts through 0138- a continuation of 0124. Mid grey sand. N-S running ditch. Runs across 0150 and 0151. Suggest sequence: 0150--0136--0151. Joins 0057 at S end. At N end, continues through 0082. Parallel to 0124 and 0125. See sections 0137, 0142 ands 0240. Mid brown sand fill of ditch 0136. Continuation of 0125(?). Cut by 0134. Butt-ends on edge of site and is somewhat cut by 0139 at this point. Short ditch, butt-ending on top of 0138. Runs into 0134 at N end, relationship unclear. Part of ditch where 0124 and 0125 have merged to become one and approaches ditch 0057. Relationhsip with 0057 uncertain but probably that 0057 cuts 0140. Light brown silty sand.
component identifier Ditch cut Ditch cut Pit fill Ditch section Ditch fill Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch fill Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch cut Ditch cut Ditch fill
0124 0125
opno feature 0124 0125 0139 0124 0125 04 March 2005
0127
under spotdate phase III III III III III III III III III III Page 11 of 15
over
cutby 0125, 0151
cuts
description Fill from ditch 0136 where it is probably cut by 0057. Fill of ditch 0138. Mid grey/brown sand. Fill of ditch 0139. Dark grey sand. Very shallow, oval feature- could be natural. 0.30m wide, 1.2m long, 0.10m deep. Fill of possible feature 0145. Dark brown sand fill. Narrow, shallow ditch aligned NE-SW. Appears to run into 0057 and is cut by 0057. Same as 0119(?). Fill of ditch 0147. Mid grey/brown sand fill. Section of the junction of ditches 0125, 0150 & 0151. Section shows that 0125 is associated with ditch 0151 and that 0151 is later than 0150. Ditch running E-W. Southern cut of two ditches which continue the line of 0082 at the E end of the site. 0150 is the earliest of the two E-W cuts and is associated with 0124, which feeds in from the S. It is probably cut by 0125, but this is not clear in section 0149. See section 0240. Later and most Northerly of two E-W ditches- continuation of 0082. 0151 is associated with 0125 which enters from the S but suggests that it was longer running as 0125 appears to recut the infilling of 0125. Filled with pale brown and streaked with Fe. Two fills lower primary silt sepearated from backfill by Fe stain. See section 0240 Ditch running N-S, curving slightly, situated towards SE corner of site. Runs from S edge of site, W of and parallel to small ditch 0154. Bowl-shaped. 1m wide, 0.30m deep, 0.90m long section excavated. Section to be excavated at N end to establish what happens there. Section at 0161, merges into 0057, relationship unclear. Homogenous, mid brown silty sand with occasional small stones. Flint found. Small, shallow ditch running N-S and curving. Situated towards SE corner of site, E of and parallel to ditch 0152. Runs from S edge of site approx 7m before butt-ending. Fill of ditch 0154. Mixed mid and light brown silty sands. Flint found. Cut as fill posthole within ditch 0136. Relationship not seen. Grey sand fill. Fill of ditch 0151 at junction of 0151 with 0136- also 0124. Grey/brown sand with some Fe pan. Fill of ditch 0136. Grey/brown sand fill. Fill cut by 0151 (0157). Fill of ditch 0124. Grey/brown sand- Iron pan avoids bottom fill of 0151. Suggests sequence- 0150--0124--0151.
component identifier Ditch fill Ditch fill Ditch fill Feature cut Feature fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch section Ditch cut Ditch cut & fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Ditch cut Ditch fill Posthole cut & fill Ditch fill Ditch fill Ditch fill
0082 0082 0151 0136 0124
opno feature 0147 0125 0150 0151 04 March 2005
0149
under spotdate phase III III I I I I I I I I I I I I I Page 12 of 15
EBA EBA EBA EBA
over
cutby
cuts
description Fill of ditch 0057 section. Mid brown sand. Ditch fill at section of 0152. Mid brown sand. Component number for group of 17 pits at S side of site. Large pit in group 0162. Kind of bowl-shaped. 100% excavated. 2 bags of soil samples taken. Fill of pit 0163. Very dark grey/brown fill with large quantities of pottery and burnt/worked flint. 2 bags of soil samples taken. 100% excavated. Medium-sized pit in group 0162. Vertical-sided with a flat base. Some slumping at edges. 0.90m wide, 0.90m long, 0.35m deep. Pottery and flint found. 100% excavated, using trowel. Soil sample taken. Fill of pit 0165. Dark brown sand and charcoal fill. Pottery and flint found. 100% excavated, using trowel. Soil sample taken. Medium-sized, rounded pit in group 0162. Adjacent to 0165 and 0169. 0.94m wide E-W, 1.2m long N-S, 0.31m deep. 50% then 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Pottery and flint found. Fill of pit 0167. Very dark charcoally sand fill fading into mid grey sand. Pottery and flint found. 50% then 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Small, rounded pit in pit group 0162. 0.60m wide N-S, 0.65m long E-W, 0.30m deep. Pottery and flint found. Adjacent to 0167 & 0171. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Fill of pit 0169. No details regarding fill given. Pottery and flint found. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Pit from group 0162. Steep-sided, flat-based, medium-sized circular pit. Some slumping at edges. 0.80m wide, 0.80m long, 0. 35m deep. Flint found. Soil sample taken. 100% exc. Adjacent to 0231. Fill of pit 0171. Dark brown/black sand and charcoal. Flint found. Soil sample taken. 100% excavated. Small oval pit with steep sides and a curved base. Part of group 0162. 0.38m wide E-W, 0.64m long N-S, 0.25m deep. Flint found. 100% excavated, using trowel. Fill of pit 0173. Mainly light brown sand with frequent stones and a black layer at the top. Possibly disturbed by animal activity- see section. Flint found. 100% excavated, using trowel.
component identifier Ditch fill Ditch fill Pit group 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162
opno feature 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Page 13 of 15
EBA EBA EBA EBA EBA EBA
over 0239 0235 0216
cutby
cuts
description Small oval pit at the S edge of the site. Part of group 0162. S end lost. The cut is gently sloping with a curved base. Flint found. 0.40m wide E-W, 0.18m deep. 100% excavated, using trowel. Adjacent 0225. Fill of pit 0175. Fill is a combination of black sand, charcoal and light brown sand. Lots of flint found. 100% excavated, using trowel. Pit from group 0162. Circular, with steep sides, but some slump/natural to the E and W. Almost flat base. 0.63m wide E-W, 0.78m long N-S, 0.45m deep. 100% excavated, using trowel. Pottery and flint found. Environmental sample taken. Fill of pit 0177. Mainly dark grey/black sand and charcoal, becoming orange sand with Fe pan toawrds the base. Pottery and flint found. 100% excavated, using trowel. Environmental soil sample taken. Medium-sized, rounded pit in group 0162. Flat-based with steep sides. Adjacent to 0177 and 0181. 1.2m wide N-S, 0.96m long E-W, 0.34m deep. 50% then 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Pottery and flint found. Fill of pit 0179. Dark charcoally sand mixed with mid-dark brown sand. Pottery and flint found. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Circular pit in group 0162. Vertical sides with a concave base. Slumping on sides. 1m wide, 1m long, 04.5m deep. 100% excavated, using trowel. Fill of pit 0181. Dark grey sand and charcoal fill with the charcoal largely located in the upper area of the fill. 100% excavated, using trowel. Irregularly-shaped pit from group 0162. See plan. 100% excavated. Fill of pit 0183. Two distinct fills- upper sand fill, which is undercut by brown fill 0239, suggesting the pit was left open for some time. Pottery found in upper fill. 100% excavated. Large sub-sq pit from group 0162, with sloped sides. 1.4m wide, 1.2m long, 0.38m deep. 100% excavated. 3 fills- 0186, 0235 & 0236. One of three fills of pit 0185. Grey/brown coarse sand with frequent small stones. 100% excavated. Pit from group 0162. Circular & steep-sided. Contained four fills- 0188, 0216, 0217, 0218. 0.93m in diameter, 0.48m deep. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. One of four fills of pit 0187. Small, central basic profiled(?) fill of 0187. Upper fill over 0216. Dark grey/brown stony sand with occasional charcoal flecks. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel.
component identifier Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162 Pit cut 0162 Pit fill 0162
opno feature 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase IV I I III III III I I I I I I I Page 14 of 15
Pmed EBA EBA
0235
over
cutby
cuts
description 0-150mm layer of subsoil, unstripped at SW corner of site. Situated in a hollow over ditch. See context sheet for sketch plan. Very small pit with steep sides and a concave base. Adjacent to 0231. 20m diameter and 0.15m deep. 100% excavated, using trowel. Part of group 0162. Adjacent to 0231. Fill of pit 0190. Charcoal and black sand. 100% excavated, using trowel. Straight section across ditch 0064 close to the S edge of the site. One metre length excavated. Single infilling layer of pale-mid brown sand. Stone pattern suggests it to have been infilled from E side. Small, shallow, circular pit towards SW corner of site. Adjacent to pit 0195. Fill of pit 0193. Dark greyish-brown silty sand with very occasional charcoal flecks. Small, oval pit towards SW corner of site adjacent to pit 0193. Fill of pit 0195. Mid brown silty sand with occasional flecks of charcoal and traces of pinkish burnt clay. Section of 0079. Fill of mid brown sand. Three metre long section through ditch 0077, near S edge of site. N end drawn. Mid grey/brown sand fill. 3m excavated, using trowel and shovel. 0.19m deep. Small, circular posthole. Near junction of 0064 and 0203. Fill of posthole 0199. Dark brown sand fill. Small circular posthole near 0064. Small pit between 0190 and 0171with which the relatioships are unclear. Has an irregular shape and sides. Part of group 0162. Fill of pit 0231. Dark brown sand with traces of charcoal. Posthole slightly apart from group 0162. Fill of posthole 0233. Filled with soft, even, brown sand, similar to that in 0227 and 0229. Fill of pit 0185. Yellow/brown sand layer. One sherd of Beaker(?) pottery found. 100% excavated. Fill of pit 0185. Very dark, charcoal-rich sand layer. Environmental soil sample taken. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Shallow hollow filled with brown sand. Probable surviving ancient soil in natural hollow. Immediately N of 0185. Roughly 1.5m long, 1.2m wide and 0.6m deep. No section. See context sheet for sketch plan.
component identifier Subsoil layer Pit cut Pit fill Ditch section Pit cut Pit fill Pit cut Pit fill Ditch fill Ditch fill Posthole cut Posthole fill Posthole cut Pit cut Pit fill Posthole cut Posthole fill Pit fill Pit fill Spread
0162 0162 0162 0162 0162 0162 0162
opno feature 04 March 2005
under spotdate phase I I Page 15 of 15
EBA
0220 0184
over
cutby
cuts
description Basal fill of 0219. Pale, yellow/brown, fairly even sand. In centred depression at base of pit. Not visible in section. Found when removing second half of pit. Produced a few pot sherds and a single lump of chalk which was dead central to the pit, right at the base. 0.30m wide, 0.30m long, 0.06-08m deep. 100% excavated, using trowel and shovel. Lower fill of pit 0182. Homogenous brown sand. Distinct layer from 0184. Contained more pottery and flint. Section of ditch junction of 0136, 0151 and 0150.
component identifier Pit fill 0162 Pit fill 0162 Section
opno feature 0136 0150 0151 04 March 2005
0240
Appendix 2.1: Bulk Finds List (ERL 120)
Context Pot No Pot Wt Flint No Flint Wt BFlint No BFlint Wt Misc Spotdate
0006 1 0.011
0009 1 CBM (0.215) Med+
0012 2 0.004 IA?
0013 2 0.004 2 0.008 BA
0014 2 0.008 1 0.007 BA
0019 1 0.012 IA
0030 1 0.021 IA
0060 10 0.120 12 frags charcoal
0065 1 bone (0.099)
0068 18 0.276
0070 7 0.076 1 0.016 Neo/BA
0072 1 0.001 17 0.313
0075 1 0.007 IA
0076 4 0.038 IA
0097 1 0.030 1 0.007 Rom
0101 2 0.001 Preh
0117 5 0.013 58 0.492 8 0.059 LN/EBA
0118 1 0.015
0153 2 0.012
0155 1 0.005
0164 55 0.907 177 2.027 24 0.390 LN/EBA
0166 1 0.004 8 0.093 2 0.018 LN/EBA
0168 11 0.091 23 0.195 2 0.114 LN/EBA
0170 5 0.089 7 0.096 1 0.021 LN/EBA
0172 13 0.296 1 0.007
0174 3 0.032
0176 11 0.121 4 0.020
0178 21 0.282 123 1.812 12 0.405 3 frags charcoal LN/EBA
0180 6 0.023 19 0.164 1 0.028 LN/EBA
0182 17 0.372 13 0.191 LN/EBA
0184 110 1.144 80 0.820 10 0.584 LN/EBA
0186 7 0.032 14 0.384 LN/EBA
0188 29 0.275 10 0.333 LN/EBA
0189 SF 1001-1007 (Ae, Fe) PMed
0191 3 0.017
0208 1 0.018 1 lava (0.187) Rom+
0216 18 0.352 4 0.012 LN/EBA
0217 18 0.305 13 0.120 1 0.017 1 frag charcoal LN/EBA
0218 4 0.169 1 0.009 LN/EBA
0220 93 0.800 8 0.066 1 0.009 LN/EBA
0224 20 0.158 2 0.006 LN/EBA
0228 2 0.012 1 0.008 LN/EBA
0235 1 0.014 LN/EBA
0236 13 0.185 4 0.241 LN/EBA
0238 4 0.083 LN/EBA
463 5.511 601 7.371 118 2.645
spotdate Iron Age Bronze Age Bronze Age Iron Age Iron Age Bronze Age Iron Age Iron Age undatable LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA
form description upright upper profile thick walled as 28 29 rounded body as 32 thick walled upright upper profile rounded body
motif filled bands filled bands filled bands filled bands cable horizontal bands all over cable horizontal and vertical bands vertical bands horizontal bands vertical bands vertical bands free floating lozenges vertical bands
decoration2 comb impressed
decoration rough wiped rough wiped rough wiped rough wiped comb impressed comb impressed comb impressed impressed paired fti pinched tool impressed paired fti paired fni paired fti fti fti paired fti pinched incised impressed pinched
form or Neo scraps Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker
Appendix 2.2: pottery (ERL 120) rim circ
rim %
ab.wt/g 4 fresh 4 fresh 8 abra 12 fresh 21 fresh 76 very 7 fresh 38 fresh 1 fresh 2 fresh 2 abra 5 abra 4 fresh 19 fresh 49 fresh 11 fresh 24 int a 30 fresh 43 fresh 25 abra 37 fresh 17 fresh 59 fresh 105 fresh 6 abra 24 fresh 12 fresh 127 int a
no. 2 2 2 1 1 7 1 4 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 6 6 7 3 2 1
context fabric V1 G1 G2 V1 Q1 F1 V1 V1 U F1 G2 F1 F1 G2 F2 G1 G1 G2 G2 G1 G1 G1 G1 F1 U G2 G1 F1
spotdate LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA
form description globular profile upright upper profile rounded body upright upper profile upright upper profile globular profile upright upper profile upright upper profile as 22 as 15 globular profile
motif bands and lozenges filled bands all over all over bands and lozenges free floating lozenges bands and lozenges filled bands filled bands filled bands circles all over horizontal and vertical bands vertical bands cable horizontal bands floating lozenges all over filled bands filled bands cable all over
decoration2 incised incised incised incised incised fni incised
decoration impressed fti tool impressed tool impressed comb impressed comb impressed comb impressed impressed impressed impressed impressed tool impressed paired fti fti paired fti fti impressed fti paired fti impressed impressed comb impressed tool impressed comb impressed impressed paired fti paired fti
form Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker
rim circ 11 9
rim % 10 10 10
ab. 6 fresh 18 fresh 6 fresh 56 fresh 8 fresh 2 abra 7 fresh 7 fresh 3 fresh 124 fresh 59 fresh 8 fresh 15 fresh 4 abra 12 abra 8 abra 12 fresh 9 abra 35 abra 15 fresh 73 abra 1 fresh 1 fresh 6 abra 8 fresh 19 fresh 14 fresh 17 fresh 74 abra 13 abra 29 fresh
wt/g
no. 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 1
context fabric G1 G1 G1 G2 G1 G1 G1 G1 G1 G1 G1 G2 G2 G2 F1 F1 G1 G1 F1 F1 F1 G2 G1 G2 G1 G1 G2 G2 G1 F1 G1
spotdate LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA
form description upright upper profile as 18 as 14 upright upper profile as 16 as 16 as 16 as 74 AS 86 AS 103
motif all over bands and lozenges floating lozenges bands and lozenges all over circles filled bands bands and lozenges filled bands horizontal bands vertical bands horizontal and vertical bands pinched filled bands filled bands parallel horizontal bands parallel horizontal bands bands and lozenges paired above cable below floating lozenges paired above cable below all over all over all over all over
decoration2 incised vertical incisions incised cable cable comb impressed pierced cable cable pinched out
decoration tool impressed comb impressed incised incised impressed paired fti paired fti impressed impressed comb impressed incised fti fti fti fti fti comb impressed incised fni fni incised fti comb impressed fti fti tool impressed tool impressed tool impressed
form Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker
rim circ 11 8
rim % 10 16
ab. 11 abra 12 fresh 24 fresh 27 fresh 2 abra 40 fresh 13 abra 1 abra 8 abra 1 abra 51 fresh 10 fresh 14 fresh 11 fresh 21 fresh 27 fresh 11 fresh 18 fresh 18 fresh 16 fresh 17 fresh 7 fresh 68 fresh 28 abra 55 fresh 188 fresh 3 abra 11 fresh 26 fresh
wt/g
no. 1 1 3 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 25 1 1 5
context fabric G3 G1 G2 G2 G2 G1 F1 F1 G2 G3 G1 G1 G2 G1 G2 G2 G2 G1 G1 G1 G1 G2 G2 F1 G2 G2 G2 G1 G1
spotdate LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA
form description as 32 SCRAPS as 16 as 23? AS 18, 19, 70 AS 18, 19, 70, 91 as 54 notched tool AS 95 as 75 AS 15 as 14 AS 86 as 84 SCRAPS AS 70?
motif all over vertical bands all over horizontal bands all over horizontal and vertical bands filled bands filled bands vertical bands all over all over horizontal and vertical bands all over hanging triangle bands and lozenges bands and lozenges bands and lozenges circles floating lozenges bands and lozenges bands and lozenges filled bands filled bands circles all over shoulder floating lozenges
decoration2 possible cord imp herringbone cable incised comb impressed cable pierced cable incised incised comb impressed impressed impressed cable
decoration tool impressed fti tool impressed fti tool impressed paired fni fti plain fti incised fti tool impressed tool impressed fti tool impressed tool impressed comb impressed comb impressed incised tool impressed incised comb impressed comb impressed comb impressed incised impressed tool impressed paired fti incised plain
form Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker
rim circ
rim %
ab. 9 fresh 77 fresh 7 fresh 10 fresh 17 fresh 20 abra 21 fresh 71 abra 26 abra 83 fresh 22 fresh 40 fresh 91 fresh 54 fresh 11 fresh 3 abra 35 fresh 28 fresh 28 fresh 22 abra 8 fresh 25 fresh 91 fresh 35 fresh 23 fresh 16 abra 43 fresh 28 fresh 16 abra 2 abra 3 abra
wt/g
no. 1 3 1 1 1 2 2 1 21 1 1 5 3 1 1 1 2 4 1 1 1 3 8 1 1 3 7 1 12 1 1
context fabric G2 G1 G1 F1 G2 G2 G1 G1 G1 G1 G2 G2 G2 G1 G1 G2 G1 G1 G2 G2 G1 G1 G1 G2 G1 G2 G2 G1 G1 G1 Q1
spotdate LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA
form description AS 106 AS 22 AS 70 as 84 globular vessel upright upper profile AS 128 AS 22 AS 88 AS 20 AS 84 AS 93
motif all over all over all over vertical bands all over bands and lozenges horizontal bands vertical bands horizontal bands all over all over all over bands and lozenges horizontal bands all over all over vertical bands all over horizontal and vertical bands all over floating lozenges all over circles
decoration2 possible cord imp cable cable incised cable cable pierced pinched out incised pinched out pinched out pinched out pinched out INCISED
decoration tool impressed tool impressed paired fti paired fti tool impressed comb impressed plain paired fti fni paired fti paired fti impressed fni tool impressed paired fti comb impressed impressed paired fti fti fti impressed paired fti tool impressed paired fti tool impressed FNI fti comb impressed fti tool impressed
form Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker ? Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker
rim circ 11 60 15 2
rim % 10 9 16 10
ab. 4 abra 8 fresh 27 fresh 177 fresh 10 abra 36 fresh 18 fresh 15 v abr 83 fresh 118 fresh 55 fresh 27 v abr 23 v abr 78 fresh 108 fresh 16 fresh 33 fresh 28 fresh 8 v abr 11 v abr 4 v abr 26 fresh 50 fresh 89 fresh 6 fresh 7 fresh 7 fresh 12 fresh 24 fresh 377 fresh 35 fresh 15 fresh
wt/g
no. 1 1 1 10 1 1 5 1 5 1 3 2 5 1 3 3 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 4 36 20 1
context fabric G2 G1 G1 F1 G2 G1 G1 G1 G2 G1 F1 F1 G2 G2 G1 G1 F1 F1 F1 G2 G1 G2 G1 F1 G2 G1 G1 G1 G2 G1 G1 G2
spotdate LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA LNEBA
form description as 132 AS 15 AS 15 AS 88 AS 128 AS 128 AS 84 AS 20 AS 20 AS 128 AS 84
motif triple bands filled bands filled bands all over floating lozenges horizontal bands horizontal bands all over floating lozenges floating lozenges horizontal bands all over
decoration2 incised incised
decoration tool impressed tool impressed tool impressed tool impressed tool impressed comb impressed impressed impressed fti comb impressed comb impressed impressed FTI fti
form Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker Beaker
rim circ
rim %
ab.wt/g 120 fresh 103 fresh 32 fresh 7 fresh 55 fresh 158 v abr 12 v abr 14 fresh 35 fresh 30 fresh 113 fresh 7 fresh 9 fresh 44 fresh 7 fresh 23 fresh
no. 11 12 1 1 2 20 2 1 3 5 4 1 1 1 1 1
context fabric G1 G1 G1 G1 G1 G1 G2 G1 F1 F1 G1 G2 G2 F1 F1 G1
irreg shattered surface, hit many times, hh prepared platform ?sh, some edge damage - may be resid older mat? none are neatly prepared pieces various, mostly qu irrg, sharp sm qu irreg fls with ret along one side and around part of distal ends hh - from pat core min ret of dist end of cortical flake, prox end missing both are sm irreg lumps with flakes from multi surfaces both have white patinated surfaces and have had a few flakes struck from one side all have a few flakes removed 2 have pat for cortex sm - min ret of dist end min ret dist edge of squat fl 1 is bl-like with min ret at prx end, 1 subcirc has shallow ret of one edge ?poss - is an irreg shape at distal end but ret along both edges, unifacial, and across distal edge /base of arrowhead all sharp, various - includes a few quite large irreg jagged pieces may be the platform of a core wich has shattered- has scars on edge as 'tablet' but NOT delib trimming fine sh blade patinated but with ret to edges and edn post-dating pat - reuse min ret around distal end of cortical ovate fl
Wt(g) Complete Cortex Primary Patina Sharp damage Burnt Comment 0 irreg 0 sm frag 1 0 0 9 various 1 0 0 broad 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Appendix 2.3: Flint (ERL 120) Type Context Category No flake flak flake flak bladelet blad utilised blade utbl spall flak shatter flak blade blad flake flak retouched flak retf side scraper scpf flake flak end scraper scpf flake flak flake flak blade-like flak multi flake core tested piece core fragment stfr shatter flak end scraper scpf scraper scpf retouched flak retf oblique arhd blade blad flake flak chip flak spall flak fragment core retouched blad retb end scraper scpf spall flak
irreg, some thick hh sm struckfrag - may be core or remians of one ret along edge of fl forming iireg egde ?spurred mostly qu irreg various, sharp sm squat with ret along curved right edge pat'd frag, qu sma withone side white patinated cortex, has fls from one end and also appears to have bee struck at other end on opp face qu irreg - not really that 'blade-like' several fls fromone side of pat'd lump with thick white patina/cortex several are from white pat/cortex cores trian section long frag sm chunky frag, struck sm, most are quite irreg, some squat, hh all sm - 'thumbnail'-like, 1 on thick hh fl, 1 has pre-pat'd platform both have pre pat' (white), 1 therm flake with sort fls/re of one edge, 1 shatter piece with ret of 2 edges which form a right angled both thin bl-like flakes with slight ut of edgeds, 1 has white pre pat over most of dorsal surface irreg jagged shatter piece one point of which shows signs of ut. ventral face irreg/plunging forms a narrower prox end. Dist.end ret to bunt point by shallow falking on both sides all are qu sm and have minimal retouch of their distal ends, 1 dorsal almost entirely thick white pre-pat'd surface, most are clearly hh struck fls irreg jagged sharp, various cortex both qu sm, 1 from pre pat(thick white cortex) piece irreg cortical lump with some flakes form 3 sides
Wt(g) Complete Cortex Primary Patina Sharp damage Burnt Comment 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 sm , neat 0 1 0 0 v sm 0 0 0 0 0 v sm ret fl 0 0
No
Type flake fragment spurred piece blade-like shatter flake side scraper spall tested piece flake blade-like single flake side scraper flake blade-like fragment flake multi flake flake subcircular retouched frag utilised flake piercer retouched flak retouched flak end scraper shatter spall multi flake fragment tested piece
Context Category flak stfr pecr flak flak flak scpf flak core flak flak core scpf flak flak stfr flak core flak scpf retf utfl pecr retf retf scpf flak flak core stfr core
frag from pat'd lump - has some fls from one side mostly small, hey are all quite'irreg' all sharp, mostly irreg jagged looking, hh knapping debris, most cortex qu thick dirty greyish brown, some from pre -pat'd lumps both qu sm wit ret along one edge and cortex - thick greyish brown on other, 1 subcirc. all irreg and sharp all sharp irreg, thick irreg dirty cotex, some per pat surfaces prob hh struck all qu sm with ret along 1 side, 1 ovate, 2 v roughly subcirc sharp, mostly irreg, many hh qu 'irreg' nature v squat with flakes from aroun all sides 2 sm, 2 qu sm 'irreg' blade with slight urt of one edge all are 'bl-like', 1 is a pre-pat'd white piecewith ret, post-patina of its edges all are 'bl-like' in shape - with ret distal end slight patina - steep ret along right edge of irreg shape flake sm struck frag - ?tested as core cortical/patinated lump - roundish shape with areas of its surface battered
Wt(g) Complete Cortex Primary Patina Sharp damage Burnt Comment 0 0 irreg 0 0 0 mostly irreg 0 0 3 0 1 v sm 0 0 0 0 0 irreg 1 0 0 0
No
Type single flake blade-like blade chip flake side scraper spall fragment blade-like chip flake flake retouched flak utilised blade chip side scraper spall flake blade blade-like single flake subcircular utilised blade retouched blad end scraper shatter shatter side scraper fragment hammerstone flake blade-like retouched flak
Context Category core flak blad flak flak scpf flak stfr flak flak flak flak retf utbl flak scpf flak flak blad flak core scpf utbl retb scpf flak flak scpf stfr hams flak flak retf
qu large irreg partly cortical, and abraded, with areas of battered surface sharp, thin pieces both sm, 1 broad prob from prepared bl core, has regular previous scars 1 sm broad hinged mostly sm, all sharp, gravel type cortex neat, ret right and distal edges sm sq cortical with ret right and distal edges, qu thick hh fl both thin irreg
Wt(g) Complete Cortex Primary Patina Sharp damage Burnt Comment 0 sharp 0 0 1 0 0 long small fl 0 0 0 0 broad hh 0
No
Type hammerstone flake blade blade-like flake blade flake utilised blade flake blade-like subcircular flake subcircular flake flake flake
Context Category hams flak blad flak flak blad flak utbl flak flak scpf flak scpf flak flak flak
Appendix 3: photo catalogue
Filmcode Frame Description Filmtype
FCM 01 0230 posthole s
FCM 02 0233 pit s
FCM 03 General working shot s
FCM 04 General working shot s
FCM 05 General working shot s
FCM 06 0180 pit s
FCM 07 0183 pit s
FCM 08 0185 pit s
FCM 09 0177 pit s
FCM 10 0183 pit s
FCM 11 0183 pit s
FCM 12 0181 pit s
FCM 13 General working shot s
FCP 15 0004 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 16 0002 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 17 0006 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 18 0008 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 19 0015 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 20 0017 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 21 0020 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 22 0024 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 23 0028 ditch, photo'd using wrong code! s
FCP 24 0030 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 25 0032 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 26 0034 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 27 0037 ditch, photo'd using wrong code! s
FCP 28 0038 ditch, photo'd using wrong code! s
FCP 29 0041 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 30 0043 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 31 0045 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 32 0047 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 33 0049 ditch, photo'd using wrong code! s
FCP 34 0061 pit, photographed using wrong code! s
FCP 35 0066 junction, photo'd using wrong code! s
FCP 36 0058 pit s
FCP 37 0067 pit s
FCQ 01 0069 pit section s
FCQ 02 0072 pit s
FCQ 03 0086 section s
FCQ 04 0084 section s
FCQ 05 0084 section s
FCQ 06 0083 section s
04 March 2005 Page 1 of 3
Filmcode Frame Description Filmtype
FCQ 07 0083 section s
FCQ 08 0085 fill of 0081 butt end s
FCQ 09 0093 section of ditches 0077 and 0057 s
FCQ 10 0093 section of ditches 0077 and 0057 s
FCQ 11 0096 section s
FCQ 12 0117 pit fill of 0116 s
FCQ 13 0123 pit s
FCQ 14 0127 section s
FCQ 15 General shot s
FCQ 16 0141 fill of ditch 0140 s
FCQ 17 0118 ditch fill of 0057 s
FCQ 18 0142 ditch fill of 0136 s
FCQ 19 0151 ditch s
FCQ 20 0151 ditch s
FCQ 21 0162 pit group from E s
FCQ 22 0162 pit group s
FCQ 23 0163 pit s
FCQ 24 0175 pit s
FCQ 25 0170 pit s
FCQ 26 0165 pit s
FCQ 27 0223 pit s
FCQ 28 0221 pit s
FCQ 29 0167 pit s
FCQ 30 0167 pit s
FCQ 31 0173 pit s
FCQ 32 0225 pit s
FCQ 33 0171 pit s
FCQ 34 0219 pit s
FCQ 35 0187 pit s
FCQ 36 0228 pit s
FCQ 37 0230 pit s
FDN 10 0004 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 11 0002 ditch (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 12 0006 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 13 0008 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 14 0015 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 15 0017 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 16 0020 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 17 0024 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 18 0028 ditch (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 19 0030 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 20 0032 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 21 0034 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 22 0037 ditch (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 23 0038 ditch (photo uses wrong site code!) m
04 March 2005 Page 2 of 3
Filmcode Frame Description Filmtype
FDN 24 0041 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 25 0043 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 26 0045 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 27 0047 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 28 0049 ditch (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 29 0061 pit (photo uses wrong site code!) m
FDN 30 0066 junction of 0057 and 0064 m
FDN 31 0058 pit m
FDN 32 0067 pit m
FDN 33 0069 pit section m
FDN 34 0086 section m
FDN 35 0084 section m
FDN 36 0084 section m
FDN 37 0083 section pf ditch 0079 m
FDO 01 0083 section including 0081 m
FDO 02 0085 fill of 0081 butt end m
FDO 03 0093 section of ditches 0057 and 0077 m
FDO 04 0096 section m
FDO 05 0117 fill of 0116 m
FDO 06 0123 pit m
FDO 07 0127 section m
FDO 08 0141 ditch fill of 0140 m
FDO 09 0118 ditch fill of 0057 m
FDO 10 0142 ditch fill of 0136 m
FDO 11 0162 pit group from E m
FDO 12 0175 pit m
FDO 13 0165 pit m
FDO 14 0167 pit m
FDO 15 0173 pit m
FDO 16 0225 pit m
FDO 17 0171 pit m
FDO 18 0187 section m
FDO 19 0187 section m
FDO 20 0228 pit m
FDO 21 0230 pit m
FDO 22 0233 pit m
FDO 23 0180 fill of 0179 section m
FDO 24 0185 pit m
FDO 25 0177 pit m
FDO 26 0181 pit m
04 March 2005 Page 3 of 3
Suffolk C.C. Archaeological Service
ARCHIVE INDEX SITE: Access control, Gate 2, RAF Lakenheath SITE CODE: ERL 120
Excavation type: Excavation Computer directory = T:/arc/all_site/raflaken/erl 120
SITE PAPERWORK 9 Location Computer files Film codes
Context sheets 9 Site file SS ERL 120.mdb
Finds Catalogues 9 Site file SS ERL 120.mdb
Slides 9 Filing cabinet, paper T:/arc/smr/photo/photo.mdb FCM 1-13, FCP 15-37, FCQ 1-37
store
B&W negs/contacts 9 Photographic archive T:/arc/smr/photo/photo.mdbFDN 10-37, FDO 1-26
X-Rays Fieldwalking Record Levelling Record
Contour Survey Scientific Sample Record Conservation Record
Correspondence Files Other
PLANS & SECTIONS
Location
Number
Plan Originals pencil Plan Inked copies
Cabinet 7, paper store
1
Photo Reductions Other Plans
Cabinet 7, paper store
1
Section Originals pencil
Cabinet 7, paper store
5
Section Inked copies
Cabinet 7, paper store
3
FINDS
Store Location
No. boxes/bags
Pottery Animal Bone CBM
Metalwork and Small Finds SS
Misc Finds Soil Samples
REPORTS/CATALOGUES Location Computer files Notes
Archive Report Site archive, paper store T:/archive field proj/raf lakenheath/erl 120/erl 120.pdf
Matrices/ other Phasing Data Finds Reports/Catalogues
Site archive, paper store
Environmental Reports Documentary Report
Other
FINDS DRAWINGS Location Number
Pottery Flint 1
Site archive, paper store
MISCELLANEOUS