| Abstract: |
Twenty-one contributions providing an up-to-date overview of the archaeology of the county on a chronological basis and identifying research priorities for the next decade or so, intended to replace the proceedings of the 1978 conference (81/7494). The volume begins with `The Palaeolithic Period in Essex' by J J Wymer (1--9), followed by R M Jacobi on `The Late Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic of Essex' (10--14). The Neolithic and early Bronze Age is covered by Robin Holgate in his chapter on `Essex c.4000--1500 BC' (15--25). In `The Archaeology of Essex, c.1500--500 BC' (26--37), N Brown discusses the Middle Bronze Age, the Late Bronze Age and part of the Early Iron Age. A more broadly-focussed contribution by Richard Bradley, entitled `Rethinking the Later Bronze Age' (38--45), reviews the interpretation of the British Later Bronze Age since the Barrett and Bradley 1980 BAR volume (81/8026). `The Iron Age of Essex' (46--68) is covered by P R Sealey, while Philip Crummy offers a bibliographic survey entitled `Colchester: Publications between the Clacton and Writtle conferences' (69--75). Roman Essex features in two other papers, `The Roman Towns of Essex' (76--94) by N P Wickenden and `The Roman Countryside' (95--107) by C J Going.Our knowledge of Saxon Essex is discussed by Susan Tyler and then Stephen Rippon, in `Early Saxon Essex AD 400--700' (108--16) and `Essex c700--1066' (117--28), respectively. Jennifer C Ward reviews `Medieval Essex' (129--35), D F Stenning's subject is `Standing Timber-Framed Buildings' (136--42) while Janet Smith is concerned with `Essex Record Office sources for medieval archaeology' (143--9). Paul Everson offers an account of some recent RCHME projects in `Post-medieval Essex' (150--9), including Napoleonic-period military works and the Waltham Abbey gunpowder factory. The last period contribution is `Industrial Archaeology in Essex' (160--7) by John H Boyes. An up-dated survey of the changing Essex landscape, Palaeolithic to Medieval, is provided by Peter Murphy in his paper on `Environmental archaeology' (168--80). The use of SMRs for research is discussed by P J Gilman in `Archaeological Research and the Essex Sites and Monuments Record' (181--91). The last three papers offer accounts of the history of archaeological investigation and research in postwar Essex. `The chronicle of an archaeological unit (1968--1988)' (192--8) by N P Wickenden concerns the Chelmsford Excavation Committee and its successor, Warwick Rodwell's paper is entitled `Archaeology in Essex since 1945: a review' (199--206) and D G Buckley ends the volume with `Essex Archaeology: Retrospect and Prospect' (207--18). CRW |
