Abstract: |
Ten papers for Raistrick's 90th birthday. The scene is set by Richard T Smith (pp 3-28), 'Aspects of soil and vegetation history of the Craven district of Yorkshire', covering the human impact, soil development, formation of limestone pavement, etc. R D S Jenkinson & G F Wynne-Griffiths (29-53), 'A reappraisal of the Late Upper Palaeolithic occupation of Dead Man's Cave, North Anston', show that archaeological layers had been deformed by a rockfall and associations are therefore insecure. In 'The Bronze Age in western Yorkshire', T G Manby (55-126) catalogues the material and points out that burials and bronzes are the only clues to settlement shifts. C R Hart (127-36), in 'Searches for the early Neolithic: a study of Peakland long cairns', indicates 50 Late Neo settlements (all on loess-rich soils), but the early Neo sites are represented by a few long cairns, mainly in the White Peak. 'Excavations at Portfield Hillfort, 1960, 1970, and 1972' are described by Pauline Beswick & D G Coombs (137-79): this scheduled site has been damaged by repeated pipelaying but scraps of Neo and BA evidence are known before the 3 phases of LBA/EIA defences and the celebrated hoard, although the interior is little explored and is also plough-damaged. Alan King (181-93) writes of 'Romano-British farms and farmers in Craven, N Yorks' where three quite densely settled areas are seen, arable agriculture would have been possible (though a Butser-type experimental farm is needed here), and sickles attest reapable crops. D Coggins (195-203) on 'Early settlement in Upper Teesdale, Co Durham' explains differences between north and south bank settlement patterns (see also 87/248). 'Gayle Lane earthwork, Wensleydale' is P Turnbull's subject (205-11): ?late Iron Age/early RB. Robert Young (213-27) in 'Destruction, preservation and recovery: Weardale, a case study' calls for severe source criticism and restraint in distribution map compilation. The final paper, from R F J Jones (229-36) is on 'Rome in the Pennines', offering a synhesis from the Brigantes' oppidum at Stanwick through a possible connection of the forts with the lead industry, to a consideration of the slow fading of Roman influence. |