Young, D. and Batchelor, C. R. (2017). PORTINGBURY HILLS, HATFIELD BROAD OAK, TAKELEY, ESSEX Environmental Archaeological Assessment Report. University of Reading: Quaternary Scientific (Quest). https://doi.org/10.5284/1075987. Cite this using datacite

Title The title of the publication or report Title:	PORTINGBURY HILLS, HATFIELD BROAD OAK, TAKELEY, ESSEX Environmental Archaeological Assessment Report
Series The series the publication or report is included in Series:	Quaternary Scientific (Quest) unpublished report series
Downloads Any files associated with the publication or report that can be downloaded from the ADS Downloads:	quaterna1-311454_1.pdf (1 MB) : Download
Licence Type ADS, CC-BY 4.0 or CC-BY 4.0 NC. Licence Type:	ADS Terms of Use and Access
DOI The DOI (digital object identifier) for the publication or report. DOI	https://doi.org/10.5284/1075987
Publication Type The type of publication - report, monograph, journal article or chapter from a book Publication Type:	Report (in Series)
Abstract The abstract describing the content of the publication or report Abstract:	Following the results of a geoarchaeological borehole survey and environmental archaeological assessment of the site, pollen analysis was undertaken on a sequence of organic sediments preserved within the ditch associated with the Portingbury Hills earthwork enclosure. The material infilling the ditch is a predominantly silty clay, with occasional sand or gravel clasts, although richly organic sub-units do exist and were recorded within three of the four boreholes. In one of these the lower of the organic units was radiocarbon dated to 395 to 205 cal BC, whilst the base of the upper organic unit was dated to 370 to 200 cal BC. These organic units appear to represent in situ organic accumulation, and are thus indicative of waterlogged, boggy conditions within the ditch, supporting the growth of sedge fen type vegetation during the Middle Iron Age. The two radiocarbon dates from these organic sediments thus provide a terminus ante quem for the cutting of the ditch, which must have occurred prior to 395 to 205 cal BC (Iron Age). The results of the subsequent pollen and micro-charcoal analyses have provided a record of the changing character and extent of woodland and open land around the site during the mid-late Iron Age, including at least two phases of cereal cultivation, separated by a period of woodland regeneration presumably linked with abandonment of the enclosure. In addition, the lowermost sample contained a whipworm egg, probably from the human whipworm, Trichuris trichiura, suggesting that human waste was deposited into the ditch at least occasionally. While the pollen sequence reflects predominantly the local vegetation and land use immediately around the Portingbury Hills enclosure, it is interesting to note the considerable difference in composition of the surrounding woodland from that of today, especially the virtual absence of birch and hornbeam.
Author The authors of this publication or report Author:	Daniel Young C R Batchelor
Publisher The publisher of the publication or report Publisher:	Quaternary Scientific (Quest)
Other Person/Org Other people or organisations for this publication or report Other Person/Org:	Historic England (OASIS Reviewer) Essex County Council Historic Environment (OASIS Reviewer)
Year of Publication The year the book, article or report was published Year of Publication:	2017
Locations Any locations covered by the publication or report. This is not the place the book or report was published. Locations:	Site: Portingbury Hills County: Essex District: Uttlesford Parish: TAKELEY Country: England Grid Reference: 553300, 220400 (Easting, Northing)
Subjects / Periods Subjects / Periods associated with this record. Subjects / Periods:	IRON AGE (Historic England Periods) PEAT (Monus)
Identifiers Identifiers associated with the publication. These might include DOIs, site codes, Monument Identifiers etc. Identifiers:	OASIS Id: quaterna1-311454 OBIB: Quaternary Scientific (QUEST) Unpublished Report November 2017; Project Number 149/16
Source Where the record has come from or which dataset it was orginally included in. Source:	OASIS (OASIS)
Relations Other resources which are relevant to this publication or report Relations:
Created Date The date the record of the pubication was first entered Created Date:	30 Apr 2020

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