East Anglia has long been known for its internationally significant cultural and environmental Palaeolithic archaeology, often overshadowing the potential of its Holocene resource. This volume details the results of 8 years of palaeoenvironmental, archaeological and geoarchaeological investigations focused on the post-glacial history and evolution of the Suffolk river valleys, funded by Historic England and a number of commercial developers. The volume illustrates the largely untapped research potential of the region and provides information concerning the timing, pattern and process of alluvial development, landscape change, and human activity. The highlight of these investigations was the excavation and associated analyses of three well-preserved later prehistoric timber alignments and their environmental records, discovered during flood alleviation works on the floodplain of the lower Waveney Valley. As well as documenting these internationally significant remains, the research described includes innovative approaches to wetland archaeological and palaeoenvironmental study, highlighting important methodological considerations with respect to radiocarbon dating and chronology, applying novel geophysical approaches to site prospection, and recording wooden artefacts using 3-D laser scanning. The volume also discusses the results of groundwater monitoring of sediments containing the late prehistoric timber alignment at Beccles and considers the longer-term preservation potential of these fragile remains, which – as with other wetland archaeological sites – are at ever increasing risk from development pressures, as well as the longer term impacts of climate and environmental change.
Author(s): Andy Howard, Henry Chapman, Benjamin Gearey
Edition: 1
Publisher: Oxbow Books
Year: 2016
Language: English
Pages: 248
Contributors
Acknowledgements
Summary
Zusammenfassung
Résumé
1. Introduction: Archaeological and Palaeoenvironmental Research in East Anglia
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Physical setting and the Suffolk Rivers
1.3 The Suffolk Rivers: archaeo-environmental potential and threats
1.4 Outline of this monograph
1.5 The Suffolk River Valleys Project (2007)
1.6 Commercial palaeoenvironmental and geoarchaeological study in the Suffolk River Valleys (2005–2012)
1.7. Archaeological excavations and analyses in the Lower Waveney Valley (Beccles, Barsham and Geldeston)
1.8 Methodologies
2. The Suffolk River Valleys Project (SRVP) Phases I and II (2006–2008)
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Study site selection and methodologies
2.3 SRVP fieldwork, palaeoenvironmental assessments and radiocarbon dating
2.4 Discussion
2.5 Summary: the Suffolk River Valleys Project Phases I and II
3. Palaeoenvironmental and Geoarchaeological Investigations of the Suffolk River Valleys: Birmingham Archaeo-Environmental Commercial Projects 2005–2012
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The River Gipping
3.2.1 Stowmarket: Stowmarket Relief Road
3.2.2 Stowmarket: Station Road
3.2.3 Great Blakenham
3.2.4 Cedars Park
3.3 The River Stour
3.3.1 Sudbury AFC
3.3.2 Wixoe
3.4 The River Lark
3.4.1 Bury St Edmunds: the Abbey Precinct
3.4.2 Bury St Edmunds: Eastgate Street
3.4.3 Rushbrooke-Nowton
3.5 The east coast of Suffolk
3.5.1 Ipswich Docks (Albion Wharf)
3.5.2 River Orwell, Ispwich Triangle
3.5.3 Ipswich Mills
3.5.4 Sizewell: Sizewell Belts
3.6 Discussion: palaeoenvironmental and geoarchaeological evidence from commercial projects in the Suffolk River Valleys
4. Archaeological Excavations and Analyses of a Late Prehistoric Timber Alignment: The Beccles Project (2006–2012)
4.1 Introduction
The study area
4.2 Summary of excavations at Beccles in 2006 (BCC-043) and 2007 (BA1472)
4.3 The Beccles Project (2006–2012): understanding, contextualising and managing a later Iron Age wetland site
4.3.1 Methods
Airborne remote sensing, borehole excavation and deposit modelling
Geophysical survey
4.3.2 Results of the survey phase
4.4 Excavations and analyses
Trench array
Site stratigraphy, palaeoenvironmental and archaeological wood analyses and chronology
Condition assessment of timber, soil chemistry and water table modelling
4.5 Results from 2009 excavations at Beccles
Trench 1
Trench 2
Trench 3
Trench 4
Trench 5
Trench 6
Test Pit
4.6 Post-excavation analyses
Archaeological wood analyses
4.6.1 Small finds: pottery, burnt flint
4.6.2 Site chronology and phasing
4.6.3 On-site palaeoenvironmental analyses
Methods: plant macrofossils and beetles
Pollen analyses
Results: plant macrofossils
Results: beetles
Results: pollen analyses
4.7 Summary: Beccles – a later Iron Age timber alignment
5. Archaeological Excavations and Analyses of other Late Prehistoric Timber Alignments in the Waveney Valley: Excavations at Barsham (2007) and Geldeston (2011)
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Excavations at Barsham (2007)
5.2.1 Introduction
5.2.2 Results
5.2.3 Discussion: the Barsham timber alignment
5.3 Excavations at Geldeston, Norfolk (2011)
5.3.1 Introduction
5.3.2 Results
5.3.3 Discussion: the Geldeston timber alignments
5.4 Summary: late prehistoric timber alignments at Barsham Marshes and Geldeston
6. Assessing the Preservation of the Archaeo-Environmental Resource at Beccles and Barsham: Implications for Future Management and Preservation In Situ
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Assessing the preservation of the organic archaeology at Beccles
Sampling and assessment for wood condition characterisation – methods
Burial environment geochemistry
Decay and geochemical analyses: results and discussion
6.3 Assessing the preservation of the on-site palaeoenvironmental record
Pollen
Plant macrofossils
Beetles
Summary: preservation of palaeoenvironmental proxies
6.4 Water table monitoring
Past and present hydrology and state of preservation
6.5 Barsham: condition assessment of two timber stakes
6.6 Discussion: heritage management implications
6.7 Summary: the preservation and future management of wetland sites in the Waveney Valley
7. Holocene Environments, the Archaeological Record and Human Activity in the Suffolk River Valleys: Synthesis, Discussion and Conclusions
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Late Quaternary environments, the archaeological record and human activity in the Suffolk river valleys
Mesolithic environments and the archaeological record
Neolithic environments and the archaeological record
Bronze Age environments and the archaeological record
Iron Age environments and the archaeological record
Romano-British environments and the archaeological record
7.3 The Waveney valley later prehistoric timber alignments in context
The upright stakes, wood working and technology
The small finds: pottery
The landscape context and later prehistoric environments in the Waveney Valley
7.4 Dividing, defining or uniting the landscape? Stake alignments in prehistory
Structural parallels for the timber alignments
7.5 Conclusions: The function of the Waveney valley timber alignments
7.6 Wetland archaeology: testing novel techniques for the 21st century
Geophysics: spectral induced polarisation
Digital recording, display and curation: laser scanning of waterlogged archaeological wood
7.7 Public engagement with the archaeology of the Waveney valley
7.8 Summary and conclusions: the Suffolk River Valleys in the past and future
References
Appendix 1: Beccles Timber Alignment Management Plan
Index
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