Archaeological excavation in advance of a housing development has recorded a parcel of land densely occupied in the Early and Middle Iron Age with numerous post-built and ring-gully houses forming an unenclosed settlement. Many of the structures had been refurbished on several occasions or simply replaced, indicating considerable time depth to the use of the site. Faunal remains recovered indicated the animal husbandry practiced, with cattle and sheep being dominant and with a mix of younger animals for consumption and older animals kept for milk, wool or traction rather than meat. Charred plant remains suggest a strong emphasis on the growing of barley with few other food species represented, perhaps indicating a regional preference for this crop. Very limited evidence was also
recovered for the selective disposal of human remains, including a rare trepanned skull fragment. There was also a series of special deposits of animal bones. Occupation of the site is thought to have ceased at the end of the Middle Iron Age but the area was subsequently incorporated within an area of Roman land-use that might have commenced at the end of the Late Iron Age. Although the boundary features were of substantial size and were recut several times, and despite the
presence of several wells, the volume of cut features and artefacts of this period was relatively modest, suggesting that the focus of the Roman settlement lay elsewhere. Use of the site declined after the 2nd century AD with just a few sherds of pottery of 3rd- or 4th-century date recovered. The chronology is supported by a series of four radiocarbon dates. Fairly substantial assemblages of pottery and animal bone are reported on, but other finds were relatively sparse.
- ISBN13 9781911228608
- Publish Date 1 July 2022
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Thames Valley Archaelogical Services Ltd
- Format Paperback
- Pages 137
- Language English