West Stow, Suffolk: The Prehistoric and Romano-British Occupations

With contributions from Pam J. Crabtree, Brenda Dickinson, Julie Gardiner, Brian Hartley, Carole Keepax, Edward Martin, Elizabeth Pieksma and Valery Rigby. Illustrations by Rebecca Archer, Sheila Fisher and Michael Green. Produced by Jane Carr. In this, the third and final West Stow report, evidence for occupation of the site before the Anglo-Saxon village will be described and discussed. Mesolithic occupation is attested by a series of flint concentrations and Late Neolithic activity by a ring-ditch, presumably representing a barrow, which contained a central burial pit and over 40 un-urned cremations. A series of small enclosures, a large number of pits, an extensive pottery assemblage and quantities of animal bone represent a considerable Iron Age occupation. Romano-British activity seems to have been largely confined to pottery producation and associated occupation material. Five kilns have been excavated, of generally 2nd to early 3rd-century date, producing a wide range of forms.