Archaeology in Wales

This article discusses the petrographic analyses undertaken to match debitage found in the Stonehenge landscape to its parent orthostat for the Alter Stone and petrographically and geochemically for the Group E rhyolitic tuff to orthostat SH48, to assess their relative abundance and spatially map distribution within the Stonehenge landscape. Although the evidence is very incomplete, the hypothesis put forward is that the non-dolerite bluestone above-ground orthostats have no debitage and so have suffered little systematic removal, whereas the most abundant classes of debitage belong to 'slighted' orthostats that have been purposefully destroyed, although these stones are often soft and difficult to work into tools. The article concludes that further testing of this hypothesis is required. Au/SH

In June 2012, excavations were undertaken at Park Farm to investigate apparent trackways near the Lodge Hill Camp hillfort. Two distinct trackway forms were targeted; hollow ways apparently linking the outer ramparts of the hillfort to the fields below, and a long straight raised track west of the farm shown on early maps appearing to run from Llantarnam to Lodge Hill and possibly beyond. It had been speculated that the straight track is of Roman date but the excavation revealed that both trackways were more likely associated with early modern farming activities such as moving stock. Au/SH

Report presenting full results from excavations on late prehistoric enclosed settlements in south Ceredigion and north Pembrokeshire between 2004 and 2007 including specialist reports on pottery, lithics, iron nails, charred plant remains and charcoal. The presence of Roman pottery from several features indicates occupation between the 1st and 4th centuries AD. The recover of Roman pottery from fills that accumulated on top of decaying defensive banks suggests a pre-Roman origin for the enclosure but a lack of late Iron Age finds means that this cannot be proved conclusively. The excavation did not reveal any obvious buildings but the presence of postholes, pits and gullies indicates that further excavation in the interior may yield evidence of structures. Au/SH

It is generally recognised that the early medieval period is poorly represented in the Welsh archaeological record and particularly within the mid and north-eastern parts of the country. This report summarises the results of an excavation and survey of two sites at Meusydd, Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, and Druid Square Barrow Cemetery, Corwen, and offers an overview of other contemporary sites in the regions as a gazetteer in the appendix. Also includes specialist reports on charred plant remains, charcoal identification and radiocarbon dating. Au/SH

This paper discusses whether documentary references to putative prehistoric monuments in the two parishes of Llanllechid and Llandygái in northern Gwynedd may lead to their possible identification as actual archaeological features in the contemporary landscape. Includes a gazetteer of sites in the appendix.

Discovered incorporated into a stone wall in 1982, the Crochan Caffo Stone, with its four finely-pecked concentric circles is the first of its style and form to be recognised from this part of North Wales. In terms of dating, scholars have previously postulated that the Stone may be 6th century AD and associated with a nearby hermitage belonging to St Caffo, but the pecked concentric circles are similar in style and size to other stones dating to the Neolithic and Bronze Age.

Brief summary of work undertaken at Dinas Hillfort including a re-examination of the artefact assemblage and site stratigraphy undertaken by Ewan Campbell (1991, 2007), topographic and geophysical survey as well as limited trial excavations across and within the earthworks. Preliminary results suggest that the monument consists of two non-contemporary, but likely to be late prehistoric, sets of banks and ditches. The earthworks did not form complete enclosures, being either left incomplete or were never intended to be used as defensive structures.

Following a scheduling enhancement programme of medieval monastic sites funded by Cadw, a topographic survey was undertaken as well as recording of features eroding out of the bank of the River Severn (see Archaeology Wales 51: 210). Recent work has comprised a magnetometer survey combined with the results from the topographic survey to produce a more detailed interpretation of the abbey remains. The geophysics revealed a number of anomalies to the south of the leat that could be indicative of ovens or kilns but further investigation is required to confirm this. Faint earthworks in the western area of the precinct were thought to be the remains of buildings but the geophysical survey did not confirm this, although the presence of ditches and banks could suggest these may have been wooden structures. The earthworks of a leat pass through the area contouring the slope and is likely to have fed a mill at Pool Quay (SJ 2551 1107), although it is uncertain as to whether this was the abbey mill as it may have been located closer to the abbey complex. Stonework is visible within the leat and this could be the remains of a culverted section beneath an access route. In terms of the post-dissolution features, a broad trackway terraced into the slope could be the precursor to the 1756 turnpike road. Au/SH