Series: Oxford University Committee for Archaeology Monographs

The editor's introduction (1-2) examines recurrent issues in this volume, eg elm decline, peat growth, ecosystem diversity, dynamics of whole plant communities, and human exploitation of plant communities. O Rackham (3-6) on 'Wildwood' stresses its great diversity, with five main provinces such as Oak-Hazel, or Lime. J B Innes & I G Simmons (7-20) discuss 'Disturbance and diversity: floristic changes associated with pre-elm decline woodland recession in north east Yorkshire': clearances by Meso people were creating a mosaic effect. Robert G Scaife (21-33), in 'The elm decline in the pollen record of south east England and its relationship to early agriculture', offers new information from the Isle of Wight which strongly relates the arrival of cereal and herbaceous pollens to the decline of elm. Fine-resolution pollen sampling reveals a succession of differing types of agricultural activity, with forest regeneration in Late Neo-EBA. Maureen A Girling (34-8) in a posthumous publication describes 'The bark beetle Scolytus scolytus (Fabricius) and the possible role of elm disease in the early Neolithic'. James Greig (39-54), in 'Some evidence of the development of grassland plant communities', discusses a vanishing phenomenon, the old species-rich hay meadows; he traces the evidence back through medieval records to Roman and prehistoric archaeobotanical materials, and finds a surprising constancy from Bronze Age apparent hay-meadows onwards. Three main types of grassland are used. 'The development of flood-plain grassland in the Upper Thames Valley' is discussed by George Lambrick & Mark Robinson (55-75): from about 3000 bc when the alder woodland was cleared grassland has predominated here. One of these sites is presented in more detail by Alison McDonald (76-85) in 'Changes in the flora of Port Meadow and Picksey Mead, Oxford' - ancient pasture and hay meadow respectively, with their distinct plant communities within which flooding creates further variation. Martin Jones (86-92) writes of 'The arable field: a botanical battleground', reviewing two decades of research which has begun to reveal patterns in the development of weed communities. Turning to urban archaeology, A R Hall (93-5) sets out some 'Problems of reconstructing past urban floras and vegetation' in an area where deposition patterns are particularly complex. R L Jones (96-106) examines 'The impact of early man on coastal plant communities in the British Isles', outlining the processes responsible for coastland development and discussing a selection of botanical evidence ranging from Palaeolithic to RB times; it is clear that Palaeo-Meso people were collecting and perhaps manipulating edible vegetation. Moving on to the uplands, F M Chambers (107-15) in 'Archaeology and the flora of the British Isles: the moorland experience' reviews some recent work in Wales and on Dartmoor and suggests some new techniques and approaches for future work; he also reviews some textbook accounts. Finally, P D Moore (116-22) examines 'The development of moorlands and upland mires', with a model of factors affecting the upland ecosystem.

Contains: Mark Robinson (pp 1-11), Landscape and environment of central southern Britain in the Iron Age; Barry Cunliffe (12-45), Iron Age Wessex: continuity and change; Owen Bedwin (46-51), Aspects of Iron Age settlement in Sussex [downland farms, hillforts and the coastal plain]; Richard Hingley & David Miles (52-71), Aspects of Iron Age settlement in the Upper Thames Valley; Richard Hingley (72-88), Towards social analysis in archaeology: Celtic society in the Iron Age of the Upper Thames Valley; Annie Grant (102-19), Animal husbandry in Wessex and the Thames Valley; Martin Jones (120-5), Regional patterns in crop production; Peter Northover (126-45), Iron Age bronze metallurgy in central southern England; Chris Salter & Robert Ehrenreich (146-61), Iron Age iron metallurgy in central southern Britain; George Lambrick (162-77), Pitfalls and possibilities in Iron Age pottery studies -experiences in the Upper Thames Valley; Andrew P Fitzpatrick (178-90), The deposition of La Tène Iron Age metalwork in watery contexts in southern England; Lyn Sellwood (191-204), Tribal boundaries viewed from the perspective on numismatic evidence.

Six barrows, enigmatic later boundary ditch avoiding these, virtually complete AS cemetery (69 inhumations, up to 87 cremations, urned and un-urned, AD 500-600). Specialist reports on bones, ornaments, weaponry, pottery, textiles, etc.

The first volume on this important prehistoric site treats the Late Neo-BA occupation (2000-1700bc), which was of very high status with Grooved Ware, exotic stone tools (cf Mount Pleasant etc), and a 'Wessex' burial. A gap in occupation, 1400-800 bc, was followed by several LBA nuclear settlements, possibly defended; Kimmeridge-Caburn style pottery was succeeded by Late All Cannings Cross-Meon Hill style. Cross-Channel contacts were already extensive, but 400-100 bc saw less activity. At 100 came a surge in construction, craft work, and trade with Armorica reflecting Roman influence in S Gaul: wine, figs, coloured glass, Armorican pottery were coming in, as well as British products from a richly stocked contact zone. Salt briquetage, coins in quantity (except Atrebatic, presumably for political reasons). Gradually SE Britain took over Hengistbury's trade, and the Roman period saw intensive arable production until late 3rd/4th century.

Papers from a conference in 1985 focus on the transition from the minster pattern to the large numbers of new manorial churches which led to the 12th century crystallization of the parochial system seen today. The editor's introduction traces this (1-19); Richard Gem (21-30) contributes 'The English parish church in the 11th and early 12th centuries: a Great Rebuilding?' while Gervase Rosser (31-4) looks at 'The Anglo-Saxon Gilds'. 'Parishes, churches, wards and gates in eastern London' are Jeremy Haslam's topic (35-43) while P H Hase (44-66) looks at 'The mother churches of Hampshire'. Moving northwards, Jane Croom's contribution (67-81) deals with 'The fragmentation of the minster parochiae of SE Shropshire' and Brian Kemp (83-95) examines 'Some aspects of the Parochia of Leominster in the 12th century'. M J Franklin (97-104) writes on 'The secular college as a focus for Anglo-Norman piety: St Augustine's Daventry' and Tim Tatton-Brown (105-18) considers 'The churches of Canterbury Diocese in the 11th century'. 'Church and parish in Norman Worcestershire' are examined by C J Bond (119-58), while J K West (159-67) offers 'Architectural sculpture in parish churches of the 11th and 12th century West Midlands: some problems in assessing the evidence'. Stephen Heywood (169-77) describes 'The round towers of East Anglia' while Neil Batcock (179-90) deals with 'The parish church in Norfolk in the 11th and 12th centuries'. Richard Morris (191-9) contributes 'Churches in York and its hinterland: building stone sources in the 11th and 12th centuries'.

Papers from a 1984 conference: Barry Cunliffe (pp 1-14), The sanctuary of Sulis Minerva at Bath: a brief review [monumental surroundings for the sacred spring, late 3rd cent developments, iconography]; P D Horne (15-24), Roman or Celtic temples? A case study [Avenches in Switzerland: plan reconstructed with classical pronaos within Romano-Celtic temple; British comparisons]; H J M Green (29-55), Religious cults at Roman Godmanchester [up-to-date catalogue of shrines, temples, and religious objects, with comment on Sky/Earth pairs of divinities, etc]; G Webster (57-64), What the Britons required from the gods as seen through the pairing of Roman and Celtic deities and the character of votive offerings [healing, protection, etc]; Miranda Green (65-75), Jupiter, Taranis and the Solar Wheel [sky god sometimes associated with Celtic thunderer and ancient sun god]; L S Oaks (77-83), The Goddess Epona: concepts of sovereignty in a changing landscape [Epona among the Aedui; also use of elephants by imperial power]; R Merrifield (85-92), The London hunter-god [Southwark Cathedral sculpture, together with Bevis Marks and Goldsmith's Hall figures: hunter, warrior and hound-master, syncretism]; C Johns (93-103), Faunus and Thetford: an early Latian deity in Late Roman Britain [Thetford as centre of Bacchus-Faunus cult?]; Eve Harris (105-11), Words and meanings: A CCIPE E T VTERE FELIX [association of Vivas/Misce slogans with burial rites]. J P Alcock (113-33), The concept of Genius in Roman Britain [Genii, Lares, and Junones collected; neglect of Juno cult in Britain where Matres held sway]; Valerie J Hutchinson (135-45), The cult of Bacchus in Roman Britain [complex and powerful cult, ill understood as yet]; E W Black (147-58), Christian and pagan hopes of salvation in Romano-British mosaics [identifies a recurrent pagan concern with apotheosis, even salvation]; Martin Henig (159-69), Ita intellexit numine inductus tuo: some personal interpretations of deity in Roman Britain [new gods in the Empire, new images of the ivine in RB, mosaics and mysteries, etc]; also papers of non-British reference.

Contains a new section on accelerator mass spectrometry dating (AMS).

Geomorphology, prehistory, historical outline to postmed times; discovery and excavation of temple; temple periods 1-4, later use of precinct periods 5-6, Saxon and medieval 7-9; description of stratified deposits; Roman monuments within temple and precinct; specialist reports; summary and synthesis (deliberate act of Romanization on western Celtic fringe, c AD 65-75 - post-Boudica?).