A programme of archaeological investigations undertaken in advance of the Forth Replacement Cross... more A programme of archaeological investigations undertaken in advance of the Forth Replacement Crossing, at Castlandhill in Rosyth and Echline Fields in South Queensferry, revealed archaeological features dating from the Mesolithic to medieval periods, including Neolithic Grooved Ware and Impressed Ware pottery dating to the 4th to 3rd millennium bc. The principle focus of this paper is the Mesolithic remains, which are of major significance for the study of Mesolithic habitation in Scotland; particularly given the finding of a sunken-floored structure at Echline Fields that has returned a date of approximately 8300 cal bc. It is the second such structure discovered in Scotland and also the earliest yet. The sites add to a growing group of Mesolithic settlements characterised by semi-permanence and value of place in a period that has often been more associated with high mobility and temporary camps. Lithic information from these sites further acknowledges the presence of narrow-blade t...
At Woolaston on the western shores of the middle Severn Estuary c. 7 km upstream of Chepstow inte... more At Woolaston on the western shores of the middle Severn Estuary c. 7 km upstream of Chepstow intertidal Holocene sediment exposures have been surveyed and the stratigraphic sequence established by coring and limited excavation. There are two main peats each with a submerged forest. An existing dendrochronological sequence for the Upper Submerged Forest has been extended and the preliminary results of pollen analysis from the peat sequence are summarised. A few flint flakes were found but were not stratified in the mid-Holocene sequence. There is evidence for late Mesolithic / early Neolithic burning episodes which may relate to human activity. Evidence is reported for Medieval activity and the extensive modification of drainage in this period is suggested.
This paper provides a summary of the palaeoenvironmental evidence from a spread 17 of Late Mesoli... more This paper provides a summary of the palaeoenvironmental evidence from a spread 17 of Late Mesolithic burnt material and two Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age burnt mounds. The burnt mounds were up to 10 m diameter, had an amorphous shape and were consistently less than 0.8 m thick. Monoliths were collected from two sites, Ballygawley and Roughan, in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. This provided an opportunity to use a detailed palaeoecological approach for the first time to investigate the use and function of burnt mounds. Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, micro-and macroscopic charcoal were used to place these features within their environmental context, and to establish if such an approach could provide further insights into their function. The palynological results shared similar characteristics: high microscopic charcoal values, repetitive fluctuations in tree and shrub taxa, increased Sphagnum and the presence of NPPs HdV-114 and HdV-146, all of which could be diagnostic indicators of burnt mound use in palynological records. While the data do not allow us to ascribe a specific function for the burnt mounds, their environmental setting is discussed. A 'seesaw' pattern of arboreal pollen, combined 1 with the macroscopic charcoal data, indicate possible species selection and management of local woodland for fuelwood.
Three archaeological excavations were undertaken by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd within the grou... more Three archaeological excavations were undertaken by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd within the grounds of Doune Primary School in Stirlingshire, each located on the site of Doune Roman fort. These excavations revealed sections through triple-ditched defences, elements of the turf rampart and the perimeter road (via sagularis) on both the west and east sides of the fort. Within the interior of the fort the partial foundations of seven buildings were recovered, including barracks blocks, a corridored building that may represent a workshop (fabrica) and a stable-barracks to accommodate a cavalry squadron (turma). The everyday life of the fort was also revealed, with a series of ovens and an iron-smelting shaft furnace, a first for Roman Scotland. A range of pits were also identified, including some which are likely to be related to the demolition of the fort as it was decommissioned. Artefacts confirm that the fort was built and occupied during the Flavian occupation of Scotland between ...
Despite being an important location in the Viking world, and containing a wealth of archaeologica... more Despite being an important location in the Viking world, and containing a wealth of archaeological remains, little is known about the impact that Norse communities had on the landscape of Orkney. To redress this, a palaeoenvironmental investigation was conducted from the infilled Loch of Tuquoy, a basin located within 500 m of the high-status Norse farmstead and Crosskirk at Tuquoy on Westray, Orkney, Scotland. Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs), microscopic charcoal, sediment geochemistry and mineral magnetic measurements were performed on a 2.25 m core. The results suggest that a cultural landscape had already been established before the Loch of Tuquoy record commenced. The landscape was subsequently characterised by the near-continuous activity of a mixed agrarian economy that intensified during two periods: c. 900 to 150 cal. BC, and between cal. AD 700 and 1550, the latter being a timeframe which encompasses the Norse occupation of the Tuquoy farmstead. Palynological evidence suggests that during both periods the land was used to cultivate cereals, as well as for pasture. While the landscape was largely treeless from 900 cal. BC onwards, minor woodland/scrub clearance occurred in both periods. The Norse palaeoeconomy seems to have been a continuation of earlier practices but caused a significant change in the source of sediments deposited into the loch, switching from a siliceous to a more calcareous component as human activity became less intensive. Whilst the sediment geochemistry revealed little possible 2 evidence for ironworking, lead concentrations show a series of peaks during the Iron Age on Orkney (and encompassing the Roman period as used elsewhere in Britain and Europe) indicative of regionalscale pollution signals.
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
This contribution describes the discovery and subsequent investigation of a cist in a rock-cut pi... more This contribution describes the discovery and subsequent investigation of a cist in a rock-cut pit at Achavanich, Highland. Discovered and excavated in 1987, the cist was found to contain the tightly contracted skeletal remains of a young woman, accompanied by a Beaker, three flint artefacts and a cattle scapula. Initial post excavation work established a date for the skeleton together with details of her age and sex, and preliminary pollen analysis of sediments attaching to the Beaker was undertaken. The findings were never fully published and, upon the death of the excavator, Robert Gourlay, the documentary archive was left in the Highland Council Archaeology Unit. Fresh research in 2014–17, initiated and co-ordinated by the first-named author and funded by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland with assistance from National Museums Scotland, the Natural History Museum and Harvard Medical School, has produced a significant amount of new information on the individual and on some of...
In the context of unanswered questions about the nature and development of the Late Neolithic in ... more In the context of unanswered questions about the nature and development of the Late Neolithic in Orkney, we present a summary of research up to 2015 on the major site at the Ness of Brodgar, Mainland Orkney, concentrating on the impressive buildings. Finding sufficient samples for radiocarbon dating was a considerable challenge. There are indications, from both features and finds, of activity pre-dating the main set of buildings exposed so far by excavation. Forty-six dates on thirty-nine samples are presented and are interpreted in a formal chronological framework. Two models are presented, reflecting different possible readings of the sequence. Both indicate that piered architecture was in use by the thirtieth century cal bc and that the massive Structure 10, not the first building in the sequence, was also in existence by the thirtieth century cal bc. Activity associated with piered architecture came to an end (in Model 2) around 2800 cal bc. Midden and rubble infill followed. Af...
An oak timber was discovered in 2013 within intertidal peats at the Bay of Ireland, Stenness, Ork... more An oak timber was discovered in 2013 within intertidal peats at the Bay of Ireland, Stenness, Orkney, representing a unique archaeological find. Subsequent excavation and rescue of the timber took place in 2014 to investigate its stratigraphical relationship before further eroding. Dendrochronological and morphological study identified the timber as a possible radially split log, c. 150 years of age when felled. No dendrochronological match was possible, and a wiggle-match date obtained provided a Later Mesolithic felling date of 4410–4325 cal BC. This timber is the first and only evidence so far for the use of oak in Mesolithic Orkney. The timber is significant palaeoecologically, suggesting oak may have been indigenous to Orkney. This adds to a growing argument for the existence of areas of “true woodland”. Pollen evidence shows the timber was deposited within reedswamp, fringed by willow-birch carr-woodland, with oak unlikely to have been growing in the immediate location. High microscopic and macroscopic charcoal values indicate Later Mesolithic communities' exerted influence on this wetland using burning as a tool for landscape modification. It is unknown what the timber represents; it may have been for construction purposes or as a marker/possible landing place showing the path to the Loch of Stenness.
Palaeoenvironmental analyses of micro-fossils (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and micro-c... more Palaeoenvironmental analyses of micro-fossils (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and micro-charcoal) and macro-fossils (archaeological charcoal, charred cereal grain and pulses) from three sites in the vicinity of the township of Landscape, Co. Wexford, have produced data which reveal a chronology of human–environmental impacts in this area during (i) the Bronze Age, (ii) a subsequent phase of abandonment or downturn in human activity during the Iron Age/late Iron Age, (iii) renewed anthropogenic activity during the Early Christian period, and (iv) the intensification of animal husbandry and consolidation of a large settlement during the medieval/late medieval period. This paper presents palaeoenvironmental data that not only provide a landscape perspective for the archaeology but also build on the current small number of palaeoecological studies in south-east Ireland. The correlation of archaeological and environmental evidence presented also demonstrates the potential for suc...
Excavations were undertaken in 2010 on two sites in advance of improvements to the A2 Shore Road ... more Excavations were undertaken in 2010 on two sites in advance of improvements to the A2 Shore Road at West Division, Greenisland, Co Antrim. Located on flat, arable land near the coast, the sites had been severely eroded by cultivation and comprised truncated feature s beneath and around spreads of charcoal preserved beside former watercourses. Despite this erosion a substantial lithics assemblage was recovered alongside ceramics and botanical remains. Analyses of the lithics, ceramics and charcoal showed one site to have been related to specialist tool-manufacturing spanning the Neolithic to Early Bronze Age. With additional evidence for active woodland management, the site represents a departure from the traditional model of settlement in this period; the second site remains enigmatic but hosted both Neolithic and early medieval activity.
One of the important results of NRA-funded archaeological excavations conducted in recent years h... more One of the important results of NRA-funded archaeological excavations conducted in recent years has been the large increase in the number of discoveries of cereal-drying kilns, particularly on the road schemes in the east of the country. This paper looks at kilns discovered and excavated as part of the archaeological works undertaken by Headland Archaeology Ltd. on two sections of the N9/N10 Kilcullen-Waterford Scheme: Kilcullen to Carlow. A total of 94 sites were excavated and 18 of these contained cereal-drying kilns (see Illus. 1), with 35 kilns identified. Of these kilns, 25 have been radiocarbon-dated, with dates ranging from the Iron Age through to the medieval period (see Appendix 1 for details). These results have provided a good data set for this paper and enabled us to look at trends in kiln use over time and how this compares with the emerging national picture across Ireland.
Palaeoenvironmental analyses of micro-fossils (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and micro-c... more Palaeoenvironmental analyses of micro-fossils (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and micro-charcoal) and macro-fossils (archaeological charcoal, charred cereal grain and pulses) from three sites in the vicinity of the township of Landscape, Co. Wexford, have produced data which reveal a chronology of human-environmental impacts in this area during (i) the Bronze Age, (ii) a subsequent phase of abandonment or downturn in human activity during the Iron Age/late Iron Age, (iii) renewed anthropogenic activity during the Early Christian period, and (iv) the intensification of animal husbandry and consolidation of a large settlement during the medieval/late medieval period. This paper presents palaeoenvironmental data that not only provide a landscape perspective for the archaeology but also build on the current small number of palaeoecological studies in south-east Ireland. The correlation of archaeological and environmental evidence presented also demonstrates the potential for such studies and the shortage of multi-proxy research to demonstrate the subtlety of the human-environment interface through time. Wheeler etal_O'Flaherty.qxd 02/04/2013 15:47 Page 17 Evidence for human-environment impacts and abandonment at Landscape, Co. Wexford 31 Wild taxa (%) 15 10 11
Montfode Mount near Ardrossan is a monument with an ambiguous interpretation which has been subje... more Montfode Mount near Ardrossan is a monument with an ambiguous interpretation which has been subject to much discussion over the years. The site is a low mound at the end of a broad plateau of flat ground on a raised beach terrace. Recent housing development offered another opportunity to examine the monument's ditches and surroundings. The results cast doubt on previous interpretations of the monument as a medieval motte. Several groups of truncated features were identified in the vicinity, with some forming a probable double-ring roundhouse, and all of the dateable features were Bronze Age. Beaker pottery was found in one pit. The plan of the ditches and possible palisades surrounding the mound were more fully revealed. The work disturbed one part of the inner ditch and the dating of material from the primary fill also suggested a prehistoric date. It is concluded that the site bears most resemblance to a defended settlement of the later prehistoric period.
A programme of archaeological investigations undertaken in advance of the Forth Replacement Cross... more A programme of archaeological investigations undertaken in advance of the Forth Replacement Crossing, at Castlandhill in Rosyth and Echline Fields in South Queensferry, revealed archaeological features dating from the Mesolithic to medieval periods, including Neolithic Grooved Ware and Impressed Ware pottery dating to the 4th to 3rd millennium bc. The principle focus of this paper is the Mesolithic remains, which are of major significance for the study of Mesolithic habitation in Scotland; particularly given the finding of a sunken-floored structure at Echline Fields that has returned a date of approximately 8300 cal bc. It is the second such structure discovered in Scotland and also the earliest yet. The sites add to a growing group of Mesolithic settlements characterised by semi-permanence and value of place in a period that has often been more associated with high mobility and temporary camps. Lithic information from these sites further acknowledges the presence of narrow-blade t...
At Woolaston on the western shores of the middle Severn Estuary c. 7 km upstream of Chepstow inte... more At Woolaston on the western shores of the middle Severn Estuary c. 7 km upstream of Chepstow intertidal Holocene sediment exposures have been surveyed and the stratigraphic sequence established by coring and limited excavation. There are two main peats each with a submerged forest. An existing dendrochronological sequence for the Upper Submerged Forest has been extended and the preliminary results of pollen analysis from the peat sequence are summarised. A few flint flakes were found but were not stratified in the mid-Holocene sequence. There is evidence for late Mesolithic / early Neolithic burning episodes which may relate to human activity. Evidence is reported for Medieval activity and the extensive modification of drainage in this period is suggested.
This paper provides a summary of the palaeoenvironmental evidence from a spread 17 of Late Mesoli... more This paper provides a summary of the palaeoenvironmental evidence from a spread 17 of Late Mesolithic burnt material and two Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age burnt mounds. The burnt mounds were up to 10 m diameter, had an amorphous shape and were consistently less than 0.8 m thick. Monoliths were collected from two sites, Ballygawley and Roughan, in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. This provided an opportunity to use a detailed palaeoecological approach for the first time to investigate the use and function of burnt mounds. Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, micro-and macroscopic charcoal were used to place these features within their environmental context, and to establish if such an approach could provide further insights into their function. The palynological results shared similar characteristics: high microscopic charcoal values, repetitive fluctuations in tree and shrub taxa, increased Sphagnum and the presence of NPPs HdV-114 and HdV-146, all of which could be diagnostic indicators of burnt mound use in palynological records. While the data do not allow us to ascribe a specific function for the burnt mounds, their environmental setting is discussed. A 'seesaw' pattern of arboreal pollen, combined 1 with the macroscopic charcoal data, indicate possible species selection and management of local woodland for fuelwood.
Three archaeological excavations were undertaken by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd within the grou... more Three archaeological excavations were undertaken by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd within the grounds of Doune Primary School in Stirlingshire, each located on the site of Doune Roman fort. These excavations revealed sections through triple-ditched defences, elements of the turf rampart and the perimeter road (via sagularis) on both the west and east sides of the fort. Within the interior of the fort the partial foundations of seven buildings were recovered, including barracks blocks, a corridored building that may represent a workshop (fabrica) and a stable-barracks to accommodate a cavalry squadron (turma). The everyday life of the fort was also revealed, with a series of ovens and an iron-smelting shaft furnace, a first for Roman Scotland. A range of pits were also identified, including some which are likely to be related to the demolition of the fort as it was decommissioned. Artefacts confirm that the fort was built and occupied during the Flavian occupation of Scotland between ...
Despite being an important location in the Viking world, and containing a wealth of archaeologica... more Despite being an important location in the Viking world, and containing a wealth of archaeological remains, little is known about the impact that Norse communities had on the landscape of Orkney. To redress this, a palaeoenvironmental investigation was conducted from the infilled Loch of Tuquoy, a basin located within 500 m of the high-status Norse farmstead and Crosskirk at Tuquoy on Westray, Orkney, Scotland. Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs), microscopic charcoal, sediment geochemistry and mineral magnetic measurements were performed on a 2.25 m core. The results suggest that a cultural landscape had already been established before the Loch of Tuquoy record commenced. The landscape was subsequently characterised by the near-continuous activity of a mixed agrarian economy that intensified during two periods: c. 900 to 150 cal. BC, and between cal. AD 700 and 1550, the latter being a timeframe which encompasses the Norse occupation of the Tuquoy farmstead. Palynological evidence suggests that during both periods the land was used to cultivate cereals, as well as for pasture. While the landscape was largely treeless from 900 cal. BC onwards, minor woodland/scrub clearance occurred in both periods. The Norse palaeoeconomy seems to have been a continuation of earlier practices but caused a significant change in the source of sediments deposited into the loch, switching from a siliceous to a more calcareous component as human activity became less intensive. Whilst the sediment geochemistry revealed little possible 2 evidence for ironworking, lead concentrations show a series of peaks during the Iron Age on Orkney (and encompassing the Roman period as used elsewhere in Britain and Europe) indicative of regionalscale pollution signals.
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
This contribution describes the discovery and subsequent investigation of a cist in a rock-cut pi... more This contribution describes the discovery and subsequent investigation of a cist in a rock-cut pit at Achavanich, Highland. Discovered and excavated in 1987, the cist was found to contain the tightly contracted skeletal remains of a young woman, accompanied by a Beaker, three flint artefacts and a cattle scapula. Initial post excavation work established a date for the skeleton together with details of her age and sex, and preliminary pollen analysis of sediments attaching to the Beaker was undertaken. The findings were never fully published and, upon the death of the excavator, Robert Gourlay, the documentary archive was left in the Highland Council Archaeology Unit. Fresh research in 2014–17, initiated and co-ordinated by the first-named author and funded by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland with assistance from National Museums Scotland, the Natural History Museum and Harvard Medical School, has produced a significant amount of new information on the individual and on some of...
In the context of unanswered questions about the nature and development of the Late Neolithic in ... more In the context of unanswered questions about the nature and development of the Late Neolithic in Orkney, we present a summary of research up to 2015 on the major site at the Ness of Brodgar, Mainland Orkney, concentrating on the impressive buildings. Finding sufficient samples for radiocarbon dating was a considerable challenge. There are indications, from both features and finds, of activity pre-dating the main set of buildings exposed so far by excavation. Forty-six dates on thirty-nine samples are presented and are interpreted in a formal chronological framework. Two models are presented, reflecting different possible readings of the sequence. Both indicate that piered architecture was in use by the thirtieth century cal bc and that the massive Structure 10, not the first building in the sequence, was also in existence by the thirtieth century cal bc. Activity associated with piered architecture came to an end (in Model 2) around 2800 cal bc. Midden and rubble infill followed. Af...
An oak timber was discovered in 2013 within intertidal peats at the Bay of Ireland, Stenness, Ork... more An oak timber was discovered in 2013 within intertidal peats at the Bay of Ireland, Stenness, Orkney, representing a unique archaeological find. Subsequent excavation and rescue of the timber took place in 2014 to investigate its stratigraphical relationship before further eroding. Dendrochronological and morphological study identified the timber as a possible radially split log, c. 150 years of age when felled. No dendrochronological match was possible, and a wiggle-match date obtained provided a Later Mesolithic felling date of 4410–4325 cal BC. This timber is the first and only evidence so far for the use of oak in Mesolithic Orkney. The timber is significant palaeoecologically, suggesting oak may have been indigenous to Orkney. This adds to a growing argument for the existence of areas of “true woodland”. Pollen evidence shows the timber was deposited within reedswamp, fringed by willow-birch carr-woodland, with oak unlikely to have been growing in the immediate location. High microscopic and macroscopic charcoal values indicate Later Mesolithic communities' exerted influence on this wetland using burning as a tool for landscape modification. It is unknown what the timber represents; it may have been for construction purposes or as a marker/possible landing place showing the path to the Loch of Stenness.
Palaeoenvironmental analyses of micro-fossils (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and micro-c... more Palaeoenvironmental analyses of micro-fossils (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and micro-charcoal) and macro-fossils (archaeological charcoal, charred cereal grain and pulses) from three sites in the vicinity of the township of Landscape, Co. Wexford, have produced data which reveal a chronology of human–environmental impacts in this area during (i) the Bronze Age, (ii) a subsequent phase of abandonment or downturn in human activity during the Iron Age/late Iron Age, (iii) renewed anthropogenic activity during the Early Christian period, and (iv) the intensification of animal husbandry and consolidation of a large settlement during the medieval/late medieval period. This paper presents palaeoenvironmental data that not only provide a landscape perspective for the archaeology but also build on the current small number of palaeoecological studies in south-east Ireland. The correlation of archaeological and environmental evidence presented also demonstrates the potential for suc...
Excavations were undertaken in 2010 on two sites in advance of improvements to the A2 Shore Road ... more Excavations were undertaken in 2010 on two sites in advance of improvements to the A2 Shore Road at West Division, Greenisland, Co Antrim. Located on flat, arable land near the coast, the sites had been severely eroded by cultivation and comprised truncated feature s beneath and around spreads of charcoal preserved beside former watercourses. Despite this erosion a substantial lithics assemblage was recovered alongside ceramics and botanical remains. Analyses of the lithics, ceramics and charcoal showed one site to have been related to specialist tool-manufacturing spanning the Neolithic to Early Bronze Age. With additional evidence for active woodland management, the site represents a departure from the traditional model of settlement in this period; the second site remains enigmatic but hosted both Neolithic and early medieval activity.
One of the important results of NRA-funded archaeological excavations conducted in recent years h... more One of the important results of NRA-funded archaeological excavations conducted in recent years has been the large increase in the number of discoveries of cereal-drying kilns, particularly on the road schemes in the east of the country. This paper looks at kilns discovered and excavated as part of the archaeological works undertaken by Headland Archaeology Ltd. on two sections of the N9/N10 Kilcullen-Waterford Scheme: Kilcullen to Carlow. A total of 94 sites were excavated and 18 of these contained cereal-drying kilns (see Illus. 1), with 35 kilns identified. Of these kilns, 25 have been radiocarbon-dated, with dates ranging from the Iron Age through to the medieval period (see Appendix 1 for details). These results have provided a good data set for this paper and enabled us to look at trends in kiln use over time and how this compares with the emerging national picture across Ireland.
Palaeoenvironmental analyses of micro-fossils (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and micro-c... more Palaeoenvironmental analyses of micro-fossils (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and micro-charcoal) and macro-fossils (archaeological charcoal, charred cereal grain and pulses) from three sites in the vicinity of the township of Landscape, Co. Wexford, have produced data which reveal a chronology of human-environmental impacts in this area during (i) the Bronze Age, (ii) a subsequent phase of abandonment or downturn in human activity during the Iron Age/late Iron Age, (iii) renewed anthropogenic activity during the Early Christian period, and (iv) the intensification of animal husbandry and consolidation of a large settlement during the medieval/late medieval period. This paper presents palaeoenvironmental data that not only provide a landscape perspective for the archaeology but also build on the current small number of palaeoecological studies in south-east Ireland. The correlation of archaeological and environmental evidence presented also demonstrates the potential for such studies and the shortage of multi-proxy research to demonstrate the subtlety of the human-environment interface through time. Wheeler etal_O'Flaherty.qxd 02/04/2013 15:47 Page 17 Evidence for human-environment impacts and abandonment at Landscape, Co. Wexford 31 Wild taxa (%) 15 10 11
Montfode Mount near Ardrossan is a monument with an ambiguous interpretation which has been subje... more Montfode Mount near Ardrossan is a monument with an ambiguous interpretation which has been subject to much discussion over the years. The site is a low mound at the end of a broad plateau of flat ground on a raised beach terrace. Recent housing development offered another opportunity to examine the monument's ditches and surroundings. The results cast doubt on previous interpretations of the monument as a medieval motte. Several groups of truncated features were identified in the vicinity, with some forming a probable double-ring roundhouse, and all of the dateable features were Bronze Age. Beaker pottery was found in one pit. The plan of the ditches and possible palisades surrounding the mound were more fully revealed. The work disturbed one part of the inner ditch and the dating of material from the primary fill also suggested a prehistoric date. It is concluded that the site bears most resemblance to a defended settlement of the later prehistoric period.
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