Abstract: |
Within the route surveyed, 23 deep and shallow peat scars were identified on what can be termed as upland plateau (Plate 1). The results of this survey are summarised in Table 1. The landscape is slightly undulating and lies between Knowl Hill, Whittle Hill and Rooley Moor. Erosion scarring is confined to areas where there is (a) the presence of upland peat (sometimes associated with mires) (b); an undulating landscape; and (c) a combination of both of the above. In nearly all cases, erosion scarring at the specific observation points was the result of groundwater and surface water flow (Table 1), with wind, animal and anthropogenic activity being limited. Across the survey area, different solid geology outcrops were encountered. To the north and west was extensive sandstone block outcropping. Within the same area many larger blocks sit within or on top of the peat suggesting quarrying activity, especially within the area east of Scout Moor Quarry. To the south and east the solid geology consists of degenerated blocking; littering the palaeo-land surfaces in this area are extensive quartz and feldspar fragments and granules (Plate 2). Groundwater and surface water flow has, through gravity transport, sorted the various sizes of rock and stone. The larger, heavier constituents have remained close to the scar. However, smaller stone and particulates, especially clays, sands and silts, have been washed down-slope. The results of the survey suggest limited activity, in that negligible evidence, in the form of prehistoric flint artefacts, was found. Of the 23 sites recorded, only one site revealed any flint. The patinated flint nodule from site 17 (SD 84451 18690) showed evidence of burning (Plate 4). Following the discovery of the flint nodule, a more systematic search of the immediate area was undertaken but nothing further was found. In light of the negative results of the present survey, and taking into account previous finds of flintwork in the immediate vicinity (cf. the Cultural Heritage Chapter in the Supplementary Environmental Information), the distribution of knapping floors and/or settlement loci, be they Mesolithic or later, appears to favour, or even to be confined to, the intermediate slopes of hills such as those around Knowl Hill and Whittle Hill. Other upland Mesolithic sites within the region appear to conform to this trend, for example, the site of Dean Clough, which is located on the SE-facing slopes of White Hill (Stonehouse, 1986:1). Small scale lithic scatters and isolated find spots, such as the flint nodule found at site 17, are likely to be the result of either temporary encampment or accidental loss. Judging from the pollen evidence and radiocarbon date for the base of the peat deposit (Gearey, 2004), this landscape would have been heavily wooded with dominant broad-leaf species including oak, alder, hazel and (limited) elm during the latest Mesolithic. This fact alone would impede access to this area during the Mesolithic and succeeding periods and may partially explain the negative results of this survey. [Au(adp)] |