1102223. Cite this using datacite

Title:

Mildenhall Hub, Mildenhall, Suffolk. Archaeological Excavation

Series:

Cotswold Archaeology unpublished report series

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.5284/1102223

Publication Type:

Report (in Series)

Abstract:

Archaeological investigations, including trial trenching, excavation and monitoring, by Suffolk Archaeology CIC (SACIC) and Cotswold Archaeology (CA) from 2016 to 2019 of a 26ha site southwest of Mildenhall. Archaeological investigations recorded principal phases of late prehistoric and Early Anglo-Saxon occupation. A single high-status Anglo-Saxon burial (Grave 0404) of the mid 7th century AD was also found with grave goods including a hanging bowl, spear and shield. Isotope analysis of the male skeleton has suggested that the deceased was of local birth. The broadly contemporary buildings include both small post-built ‘halls’ and sunken-featured buildings (SFBs). The prehistoric occupation is dated by associated pottery and radiocarbon determinations to the Middle Iron Age (400 BC–100 BC). The evidence of settlement comprised over 120 pits in around a dozen pit clusters, as well as ditches that were the remains of farming enclosures. The mainly cylindrical pit features contribute to an ongoing debate about the nature of ‘grain storage pits’ and their disuse in the period: in keeping with other finds from across Britain, some of the pits are marked by final acts of ‘structured’ or ‘special’ deposition. They include two pits that contained adult human burials, another that had a complete horse, and one which provided a sheltered hollow for an oven. The enclosure ditches of the Iron Age settlement were located to take advantage of a large natural feature in the south of the site, a mired palaeochannel (2157) that had once been a tributary of the River Lark. Combined macrofossil plant, pollen, diatom and mollusc evidence, together with the geoarchaeological study of the channel’s formation and silting-up processes, has allowed for the reconstruction of the farmed environment from the prehistoric to medieval periods. In addition, finds of coins, other artefacts, and animal and human remains within the channel fills suggest the possibility that further ritual activity was centred on this marshy ‘wet’ feature in the later Iron Age (100 BC–AD 43) and Early Roman period (AD 43–200). The excavations have indicated the site of another Iron Age settlement beside the River Lark and in the environs of Mildenhall. The many pits excavated have added evidence for ritual practice or 'special' deposits that contribute to ongoing debate about the function and disuse of so-called grain storage pits. The deposits included animal skulls, human burials and other remains, and a horse burial. An oven was also set in one pit. No round houses were found, though these may have been removed by ploughing, and there were remains of ditches and enclosures. The Early Anglo-Saxon SFB and hall structures at the site were widely spaced and suggest occupation in a predominantly rural landscape setting. The one burial of the period may have been isolated and is relatively late for a furnished grave, with a hanging bowl a significant find. The palaeochannel at the site preserved a good environmental sequence in its fills, allowing some local environment 'reconstruction' for the key late prehistoric and early medieval periods The faunal record for the site indicates the key domestic species as well as wild species, including bear.

Author:

Chris Fern

Publisher:

Cotswold Archaeology

Year of Publication:

2022

Locations:

District:	West Suffolk
Parish:	Mildenhall
County:	Suffolk
Country:	England

Grid Reference: 570368, 274710 (Easting, Northing)

Subjects / Periods:

BOW BROOCH (Object England)

ROMAN BOW BROOCH (Tag)

ANIMAL REMAINS (Object England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE ANIMAL REMAINS (Tag)

EXCAVATION (Event)

RUBBISH PIT (Monument Type England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE RUBBISH PIT (Tag)

GRAIN STORAGE PIT (Monument Type England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE GRAIN STORAGE PIT (Tag)

BURIAL (Monument Type England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE BURIAL (Tag)

ANIMAL BURIAL (Monument Type England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE ANIMAL BURIAL (Tag)

KILN (Monument Type England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE KILN (Tag)

DITCHED ENCLOSURE (Monument Type England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE DITCHED ENCLOSURE (Tag)

PALAEOCHANNEL (Monument Type England)

EARLY PREHISTORIC PALAEOCHANNEL (Tag)

BURIAL (Monument Type England)

EARLY MEDIEVAL BURIAL (Tag)

GRUBENHAUS (Monument Type England)

EARLY MEDIEVAL GRUBENHAUS (Tag)

BUILDING (Monument Type England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE BUILDING (Tag)

HANGING BOWL (Object England)

EARLY MEDIEVAL HANGING BOWL (Tag)

ANIMAL BROOCH (Object England)

ROMAN ANIMAL BROOCH (Tag)

ANNULAR BROOCH (Object England)

MEDIEVAL ANNULAR BROOCH (Tag)

PENANNULAR BROOCH (Object England)

ROMAN PENANNULAR BROOCH (Tag)

NEEDLE (Object England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE NEEDLE (Tag)

CRUCIFORM BROOCH (Object England)

EARLY MEDIEVAL CRUCIFORM BROOCH (Tag)

SMALL LONG BROOCH (Object England)

EARLY MEDIEVAL SMALL LONG BROOCH (Tag)

GRAVE GOODS (Object England)

EARLY MEDIEVAL GRAVE GOODS (Tag)

COIN (Object England)

LATE IRON AGE COIN (Tag)

COIN (Object England)

ROMAN COIN (Tag)

HORSE TRAPPING (Object England)

ROMAN HORSE TRAPPING (Tag)

POT (Object England)

IRON AGE POT (Tag)

POT (Object England)

ROMAN POT (Tag)

POT (Object England)

MEDIEVAL POT (Tag)

POT (Object England)

POST MEDIEVAL POT (Tag)

GRAVE (Monument Type England)

EARLY MEDIEVAL GRAVE (Tag)

BUTCHERED ANIMAL REMAINS (Object England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE BUTCHERED ANIMAL REMAINS (Tag)

BROOCH (Object England)

MIDDLE IRON AGE BROOCH (Tag)

IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)

LATE IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)

ROMAN (Historic England Periods)

MIDDLE IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)

MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)

POST MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)

EARLY PREHISTORIC (Historic England Periods)

EARLY MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)

Identifiers:

OASIS Id:	cotswold2-511714
Report id:	SU0143_1

Source:

OASIS (OASIS)

Relations:

Created Date:

03 Feb 2023