Conference Presentations by Clare Randall
Prehistoric roundhouses in the British Isles are routinely interpreted as structures used for hum... more Prehistoric roundhouses in the British Isles are routinely interpreted as structures used for human habitation, or more rarely, as workshops. Following the end of the Romano-British period, however, habitation sites in the archaeological record are characterised by structures which fit neatly into a Northern European tradition of houses which combine human habitation with the stalling of livestock. Despite the importance of a pastoral economy in various periods and parts of prehistoric Britain, rarely has this status-quo been questioned.
Here, data is presented from archaeological sites in South West Britain, alongside ethnographic data from Ethiopia which suggests that stalling livestock within and alongside buildings for human habitation may be part of a long-standing British tradition. The reasons for not identifying such activities are explored and a methodology for identifying such sites is established within this new theoretical framework.
Papers by Clare Randall
Geophysical survey and trial excavations were carried out on two fields, Hanglands and Fairmile, ... more Geophysical survey and trial excavations were carried out on two fields, Hanglands and Fairmile, at Townsend Farm, Poyntington, Dorset. Gradiometry was carried out across the entirely of Hanglands. Despite having been seriously affected by ploughing it produced evidence of linear cut features and included curvilinear anomalies possibly representing roundhouses. Three evaluation trenches were positioned with the aim of characterising the geophysical anomalies, understanding the quality, preservation, and gaining some chronological understanding. Despite considerable truncation by ploughing, an enclosure ditch and a curvilinear gully of later prehistoric date were identified as well as an undated terrace along the break in slope on the eastern side of the field, which could be Romano-British or medieval. Gradiometry over a small area at the north end of Fairmile, identified anomalies on a rectilinear alignment where Romano-British pottery had been recovered from the surface, including a South East Dorset Orange Wiped Ware sherd of the late 4 th -early 5 th century AD. The anomalies are suggestive of a substantial Romano-British building and associated features. The limited investigations have demonstrated an area of later Iron Age occupation adjacent to what appears to be a a previously unrecorded villa.
B.A.R. eBooks, Oct 1, 2018
The Archaeological Journal, 2012
Geophysical survey has shed new light on the history of Cadbury Castle, a hillfort of presumed Ir... more Geophysical survey has shed new light on the history of Cadbury Castle, a hillfort of presumed Iron Age date situated west of the Exe Valley in Devon. At least two prehistoric phases of development have been identified, as well as a previously unknown additional external line of defence which is tentatively suggested to date from the seventeenth-century Civil War. In addition, the finds from a nineteenth-century ‘excavation’ of a shaft or well in the interior are reviewed and found to represent a significant assemblage of late Roman date, possibly suggestive of the survival of pre-Christian practices.
Archaeological Journal, 2012
Geophysical survey has shed new light on the history of Cadbury Castle, a hillfort of presumed Ir... more Geophysical survey has shed new light on the history of Cadbury Castle, a hillfort of presumed Iron Age date situated west of the Exe Valley in Devon. At least two prehistoric phases of development have been identified, as well as a previously unknown additional external line of defence which is tentatively suggested to date from the seventeenth-century Civil War. In addition, the finds from a nineteenth-century ‘excavation’ of a shaft or well in the interior are reviewed and found to represent a significant assemblage of late Roman date, possibly suggestive of the survival of pre-Christian practices.
Additional file 1: Supplementary material including Table S1, Table S2, Table S3 and Figure S1.
Geophysical survey and trial excavations were carried out on two fields, Hanglands and Fairmile, ... more Geophysical survey and trial excavations were carried out on two fields, Hanglands and Fairmile, at Townsend Farm, Poyntington, Dorset. Gradiometry was carried out across the entirely of Hanglands. Despite having been seriously affected by ploughing it produced evidence of linear cut features and included curvilinear anomalies possibly representing roundhouses. Three evaluation trenches were positioned with the aim of characterising the geophysical anomalies, understanding the quality, preservation, and gaining some chronological understanding. Despite considerable truncation by ploughing, an enclosure ditch and a curvilinear gully of later prehistoric date were identified as well as an undated terrace along the break in slope on the eastern side of the field, which could be Romano-British or medieval. Gradiometry over a small area at the north end of Fairmile, identified anomalies on a rectilinear alignment where Romano-British pottery had been recovered from the surface, including a South East Dorset Orange Wiped Ware sherd of the late 4 th -early 5 th century AD. The anomalies are suggestive of a substantial Romano-British building and associated features. The limited investigations have demonstrated an area of later Iron Age occupation adjacent to what appears to be a a previously unrecorded villa.
During five seasons of excavations directed by Leslie Alcock from 1966 to 1970 on the multiperiod... more During five seasons of excavations directed by Leslie Alcock from 1966 to 1970 on the multiperiod hillfort at South Cadbury Castle, Somerset, England proven and possible Early Neolithic postholes and pits were identified in several trenches on the plateau, under the southern inner bank and bisected by the Iron Age South West gate passage. A discrete assemblage of Late Neolithic material was discovered under the north bank. The evidence has been treated only cursorily in a popular account of the excavations and in the final reports which focused on the periods following 1000 BC (Alcock 1972, 1995; Barrett et al. 2000). Subsequent excavations from 1995 to 1999 by the South Cadbury Environs Project on a spur outside the western ramparts exposed an Early Neolithic occupation hollow and four contemporary pits. There were notable differences in the pottery, bone and worked stone assemblages between the hilltop and on the spur. This paper presents fully for the first time the evidence from...
Analysis and discussion of the faunal assemblage from a multiperiod site, covering Bronze Age set... more Analysis and discussion of the faunal assemblage from a multiperiod site, covering Bronze Age settlement, an earlier Iron Age midden, and later Iron Age and Romano-British settlement
The animal remains from British later prehistory have frequently been treated as generally only a... more The animal remains from British later prehistory have frequently been treated as generally only able to inform us about economy, and occasionally about symbolic behaviour. On the other hand, the use and division of landscape has been largely discussed in terms of social organisation. There has been a failure to appreciate that there is a reflexive relationship between pastoral farming and the utilisation and inhabiting of landscapes. The nature and needs of livestock and detailed consideration of husbandry methods have informed identification of the types of archaeological data we can use to discuss husbandry practices. This thesis integrates faunal, field and environmental data to achieve a holistic understanding. Husbandry practices and animal consumption and deposition identified from analysis of over 130,000 fragments of animal bone from Cadbury Castle, Somerset, and sites in its environs, have been considered in the light of successive arrangements of fields in the area. The re...
Themes in Contemporary Archaeology
BMC Ecology and Evolution
Background The earliest records in Britain for the western European house mouse (Mus musculus dom... more Background The earliest records in Britain for the western European house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) date from the Late Bronze Age. The arrival of this commensal species in Britain is thought to be related to human transport and trade with continental Europe. In order to study this arrival, we collected a total of 16 ancient mouse mandibulae from four early British archaeological sites, ranging from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman period. Results From these, we obtained ancient mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) house mouse sequences from eight house mice from two of the sites dating from the Late Bronze to Middle Iron Age. We also obtained five ancient mtDNA wood mouse (Apodemus spp.) sequences from all four sites. The ancient house mouse sequences found in this study were from haplogroups E (N = 6) and D (N = 2). Modern British house mouse mtDNA sequences are primarily characterised by haplogroups E and F and, much less commonly, haplogroup D. Conclusions The presence of haplogroups ...
The earliest records in Britain for the western house mouse ( Mus musculus domesticus ) date from... more The earliest records in Britain for the western house mouse ( Mus musculus domesticus ) date from the Late Bronze Age. As a commensal species, the arrival to Britain is suggested to be related with human transport and trade. In order to study the arrival of the species in Britain, we collected a total of 16 ancient mouse mandibulae from some of the rare early sites with the species in the four British archaeological sites, ranging from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman period. From these, we obtained the first ancient mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) house mouse sequences from the British Isles, including eight house mice from three different archaeological sites ranging from the Late Bronze Age to the Middle Iron Age. We also obtained five ancient mtDNA wood mouse ( Apodemus spp.) sequences from across all four sites. Modern British house mouse mtDNAs are primarily characterised by haplogroups E, F and, much less commonly, haplogroup D. The presence of haplogroups D and E in our samples pr...
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 2011
In 1990 a stone covered pit containing a Trevisker Ware vessel was found eroding from the cliffs ... more In 1990 a stone covered pit containing a Trevisker Ware vessel was found eroding from the cliffs at Harlyn Bay and excavated. The vessel contained cremated bone from several individuals with some animal bone, quartz pebbles, and a small bronze pendant. A radiocarbon date on the cremated bone fell in the range 2120–1880 calbcand is a valuable addition to the small number of securely-dated Early Bronze Age burials in Cornwall with metalwork associations. This early date also makes a major contribution to the debate on the sequence of Trevisker Ware as the vessel, of gabbroic clay, has a band of incised chevron decoration. Lipid residue analysis showed traces of ruminant dairy fat. This paper examines the significance of unmounded burial sites in Cornwall and also assesses the importance of Early Bronze Age burials around Harlyn Bay which have produced an unusually wide range of artefacts.
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Conference Presentations by Clare Randall
Here, data is presented from archaeological sites in South West Britain, alongside ethnographic data from Ethiopia which suggests that stalling livestock within and alongside buildings for human habitation may be part of a long-standing British tradition. The reasons for not identifying such activities are explored and a methodology for identifying such sites is established within this new theoretical framework.
Papers by Clare Randall
Here, data is presented from archaeological sites in South West Britain, alongside ethnographic data from Ethiopia which suggests that stalling livestock within and alongside buildings for human habitation may be part of a long-standing British tradition. The reasons for not identifying such activities are explored and a methodology for identifying such sites is established within this new theoretical framework.