| Abstract: |
A festschrift volume marking Ted Wright's contribution to boat and wetland archaeology. The opening paper, `Logboats of the 6th millennium BC discovered in Switzerland' by Béat Arnold (5-8), details the oldest examples found in Switzerland. `Intertidal archaeology at Goldcliff in the Severn estuary' by Martin Bell (9-13) reports work in the area which has produced evidence of Mesolithic activity, BA boat planks, and IA rectangular building remains. `Naval architecture can sometimes fill the gaps' by John Coates (14-16) applies the principles of naval architecture to the reconstruction of ancient vessels. `Roos Carr and company' by Bryony Coles (17-22) details evidence for prehistoric wooden anthropomorphic figures from Roos Carr (Humberside), Misson-Haxey (Humberside), Strata Florida (Dyfed), and Ickham (Kent). `Boats on the rocks' by John Coles (23-31) considers rock art as a source of information for BA boats in Scandinavia. A paper on an American site is followed by `The Nydam ships: old and new investigations at a classic site' by Øle Crumlin-Pedersen & Flemming Rieck (39-45) describing events surrounding the Nydam boats, from discovery in 1863. `The Humber wetlands project: an archaeological assessment of the Humber Basin lowlands' by Paul Davies & Robert van de Noort (46-8) outlines objectives including the history of the wetlands, sites and finds, preservation potential, threats to preservation, and future work. `A winged cleat from Hartlepool' by Valerie Fenwick (49-51) describes an oak object found in 1969 and thought to be a little cleat, possibly of Neolithic date -- although this cannot be confirmed. `Expanding oak logboats -- is it possible' by Edwin Gifford (52-3) reports tests to investigate the suitability of oak for this form of boat. Despite being thought too hard a wood to be stretched, it was found that young oak can be successfully bent or straightened. Further work is expected. A paper concerning work in China is succeeded by `A side rudder from the London waterfront' by Damian Goodburn (56-60) which reports an unusual find from the Vintners' Place site, of an oak side rudder dating to about AD~1000. `A perspective from Porlock: the maritime potential of the Exmoor coast' by Veryan Heal (61-4) considers coastal activity ranging from the Mesolithic to present day. `Museum display of early boat finds' by Gillian Hutchinson (65-7) considers how enthusiasm and interest can be communicated to the museum visitor. This is followed by a paper on boats of the Indian Ocean which is itself followed by `Tales from the riverbank: Bronze Age palaeochannels in the alluviated Nedern Valley at Caldicot Castle Lake, Gwent' by Nigel Nayling (72-6). Here, work on a five-year project, still in process, is described including some interim results. `The rescue of Dover's Bronze Age boat' by Keith Parfitt & Valerie Fenwick (77-80) tells the story of the 1992 discovery of the BA boat and its subsequent speedy recording and recovery in advance of continuing development. `Use, re-use, or pre-use? Aspects of the interpretation of ancient wood' by Francis Pryor & Maisie Taylor (81-4) widens the approach to ancient wood use to include properties other than the functional/technological. Finland forms the focus for the following foray, and finally `Links between sea and land' by Christer Westerdahl (91-5) considers cultural/ritual connotations of slate T-formed implements associated with boat-building in Finland/Sweden. A list of contact addresses for the contributors rounds off the proceedings. |
