| Abstract: |
Four sites excavated on the River Kennet gravels produced evidence for occupation, burial and riverside activities from Mesolithic to post medieval periods, providing a clearer picture of the developing landscape in the Kennet valley during the later prehistoric and Saxon periods. There are six chapters. `Introduction' (1--4) covers the archaeological background and location of the sites. `Excavations at Field Farm, Burghfield, Berkshire' (5--72) describes Mesolithic flintwork, a Neolithic hearth and pottery, and a series of Bronze Age ring-ditches associated with Deverel-Rimbury and Collared Urn cremations; in the seventh century AD the main ring-ditch became the focus for an Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery, described in `Grave catalogue' by H Rees & C Butterworth (18--38) and discussed in `The Saxon cemetery' by C A Butterworth & H Rees (70--2). There are specialist sections on finds: `Flint' by P A Harding (38--40), `Pottery' (40--48) and `Objects within urn 919' (48--50) by L N Mepham, `Saxon grave-goods' by H Rees & C A Butterworth (50--7), `Textile remains' by Margaret Brooks (57--61) and `Human remains' by Lynne Bell (61--2) and Jacqueline I McKinley (62--3), and on environmental evidence: `Plant remains' by W J Carruthers (63--5) and `Charcoal' by R Gale (65--8). Deverel-Rimbury cremations were also recovered in `Excavations at Shortheath Lane, Abbots Farm, Sulhamstead' by S J Lobb (72--8), which includes a `Discussion' of the urns by Ann Woodward (75--7) and sections on `Other vessels' by L N Mepham (77--8) and `Cremated bone' by Janet Henderson (78). `Archaeological investigations at Anslow's Cottages, Burghfield' (79--169) revealed a Bronze Age landing-stage followed by a series of Roman and Saxon stake- and post-built structures in a former river channel; a Saxon basketry fish trap and detailed environmental sequences were also recovered. Finds are discussed by P A Harding `Flint' (106--8), L N Mepham `Pottery' (108--14), `Fired clay' (114), `Objects of worked bone' (114--5) and `Worked timbers' (116--28), and J Watson `Basketry' (115). Environmental evidence is discussed by J Coy `Faunal remains' (128--30), J G Evans `Mollusca' (130--43), M Robinson `Insect assemblages (143--9), W J Carruthers `Plant remains' (149--58). R Gale `Charcoal' (158--9) and Belinda Thompson & Michael J Allen `Pollen' (159--64). Another Saxon timber was recorded in `Theale Industrial Site, archaeological assessment' (170--1). The volume concludes with `Development of the landscape' by S J Lobb (172--7). |
