012AD00489

Enclosure Ditch


 
Ditch Details
Length  1082 Maximum Width 78 Maximum Depth 17 Profile U-shaped
Material Culture Number of Objects 34 Number of Animal Bones 54
Environmental       

Phasing

The ditch has been phased to the Anglian period by the finds of three possible Anglian sherds. As is usual in area 12AD, the majority of diagnostic material is later Roman in date (16 pot sherds). Unusually, the primary fill (012AD00625) of this ditch was a burnt red daub layer, generally believed to be a late event in the life of the settlement (possibly this layer is different to the others, as they invariably occur in the upper fills of features).

Stratigraphic Matrix Diagram

    012AD00530        012AD07227        
                     
                     
                     
                     
    012AD00738      012AD00627      012AD00488     
                     
    012AD00743    012AD00628    012AD00625         
                     
    012AD00744      012AD00626           
                     
        012AD00489             
                     
                     
        012AD00671             
                     

Discussion

A short, quite wide and slightly curvilinear enclosure ditch segment, this was cut by both of the main north-south aligned enclosures (012AD00530 and 012AD07227). The main fill of both excavated segments was a sandy loam (Munsell 10YR 4/2), with 10% chalk inclusions. Daub and charcoal flecking was noted throughout. Only in the the segment between the two north-south aligned ditches was a more complex fill sequence determined. The primary fill (012AD00625) was a very red (Munsell 5YR 3/3) sandy clay loam containing much burnt daub material.  Finds from this fill include an iron pin as well as another unidentified iron object. Fragments of both cattle and sheep horncore were also recovered. Next came fill 012AD00628, a sandy loam (Munsell 10YR 4/2) with daub and charcoal flecking, but no burnt red daub material within the matrix. A single Romano-British sherd was the only diagnostic find from this layer. Both cattle and sheep jaw and foot bone fragments were also found, albeit in small quantities. Both of these fills lay on the base of the ditch, and were subsequently sealed by the final fill (012AD00627 which equals fills 012AD00488 and 012AD00738).

A small post hole (012AD00744) was located near the western terminus, apparently sealed by the final fill 012AD00738.

The ditch was cut into hillwash, generally with a U-shaped profile. It was quite shallow for a ditch of this width, and may have been plough-truncated to some extent.

All Contexts and Associated Finds Totals

 TYPE CUT FILL VOLUME OBJECTS AN BONE DENSITY
012AD00489 012AD00488   23 21  
    012AD00738   6 10  
  012AD00626 012AD00625   3 3  
    012AD00627   1 13  
    012AD00628   1 6  
POST HOLE 012AD00744 012AD00743   0 1  

012AD00488 Object Totals by Period and Material

KEY_ID MATERIAL PERIOD No
012AD00488 CHARCOAL  
1
  FIRED CLAY  
1
  IRON  
1
  POTTERY 2-4C
4
  POTTERY 3-4C
7
  POTTERY ANGLIAN?
3
  POTTERY M3-4
1
  SLAG  
1
  STONE  
3

012AD00488 Animal Bone Totals by Species

KEY_ID SPECIES No
012AD00488 Cattle
7
  Pig
2
  Sheep
5
  Sheep/Goat
7

012AD00738 Animal Bone Totals by Species

KEY_ID SPECIES No
012AD00738 Cattle
1
  Pig
1
  Sheep
2
  Sheep/Goat
6

012AD00627 Animal Bone Totals by Species

KEY_ID SPECIES No
012AD00627 Cattle
3
  Domestic fowl
1
  Pig
2
  Sheep
3
  Sheep/Goat
4


Context Details

012AD00489 Section and Notes


 
 
KEY_ID TYPE SHAPE L B D PROFILE NOTES
012AD00488 DITCH FILL LINEAR
453
58
17
U-SHAPED DITCH FILL. BONE FOUND. DAUB AND CHARCOAL FLECKING. LESS THAN 5% CHALK INCLUSIONS < 2CM.
012AD00489 DITCH CUT LINEAR
453
58
17
U-SHAPED DITCH CUT. CUT INTO WORN COBBLE SURFACE 384 AND SEALED BY TURFY LAYER 383. ALSO IS CUT BY 529/30. CUT INTO WEATHERED PINK CHALK 40% WHITE CHALK STONES.
012AD00738 DITCH FILL CURVILINEAR
382
58
15
U-SHAPED DITCH FILL. BONE AND POTTERY FOUND. DAUB AND CHARCOAL FLECKING. 10% CHALK INCLUSIONS < 2CMS. PROBABLY = 627.

012AD00626 Section and Notes


 
KEY_ID TYPE SHAPE L B D PROFILE NOTES
012AD00625 DITCH FILL OVATE
83
78
12
FLAT RED MIDDLE SAXON DITCH FILL. IN 488/9 BUT ALSO PART OF ANOTHER CUT IN THIS DITCH. BONE FOUND. DAUB BUT NO CHARCOAL FLECKING.5% CHALK INC. <3CMS.
012AD00626 DITCH CUT LINEAR
110
78
12
U-SHAPED CUT OF DITCH. APPEARS TO BE DEEPER CUT IN DITCH 489 CONTAINS DIFFERENT FILLS TO 488 BUT CONTAINED WITHIN 488/9. BOWL PROFILE DEEPER THAN 489. HILLWASH
012AD00627 DITCH FILL LINEAR
135
78
10
FLAT FILL OF DITCH. BONE FOUND. DAUB AND CHARCOAL FLECKING. 10% CHALK INCLUSIONS < 7CMS. MAY EQUAL 488 BUT NOT CERTAIN. IS CONTAINED WITHIN 489.
012AD00628 DITCH FILL LINEAR
53
78
11
U-SHAPED FILL OF DITCH. BONE FOUND. DAUB AND CHARCOAL FLECKING. 10% CHALK INCLUSIONS < 3CMS. LIES NEXT TO 625 BUT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO NOT ASCERTAINED.

012AD00744 Section and Notes


 
KEY_ID TYPE SHAPE L B D PROFILE NOTES
012AD00743 POST HOLE FILL ROUND
28
27
12
U-SHAPED POST HOLE FILL IN DITCH 738/489. BONE FOUND. CHARCOAL AND DAUB FLECKING.5% CHALK INCLUSIONS < 3CMS.
012AD00744 POST HOLE CUT ROUND
28
27
12
U-SHAPED POST HOLE CUT. CUT INTO BASE OF DITCH 738/489. WHOLE FILL REMOVED U PROFILE. CUT INTO HILLWASH WITH 30% CHALK INCLUSIONS.

Objects

KEY_ID OB PERIOD MATERIAL TYPE SUB_TYPE CLASS No
012AD00488 AA   FIRED CLAY FIRED CLAY    
1
012AD00488 AB   STONE STONE    
2
012AD00488 AC   STONE STONE    
1
012AD00488 AD 2-4C POTTERY SHERD BK  
1
012AD00488 AE 3-4C POTTERY SHERD   ROMANO-BRITISH
1
012AD00488 AF   SLAG SLAG    
2
012AD00488 AG ANGLIAN? POTTERY SHERD   ANGLIAN III?
1
012AD00488 AH 3-4C POTTERY SHERDS   R-B/ANGLIAN I
2
012AD00488 AJ 3-4C POTTERY SHERD    
1
012AD00488 AK   CHARCOAL CHARCOAL SAMPLE    
1
012AD00488 AL ANGLIAN? POTTERY SHERD   ANGLIAN III?
1
012AD00488 AM ANGLIAN? POTTERY SHERD   ANGLIAN III?
1
012AD00488 AN 2-4C POTTERY SHERD    
1
012AD00488 AO M3-4 POTTERY SHERD BWM  
1
012AD00488 AP 3-4C POTTERY SHERD   ROMANO-BRITISH
1
012AD00488 AQ   IRON IRON OBJECT    
1
012AD00488 AR   STONE PEBBLE    
1
012AD00488 AS 3-4C POTTERY SHERD   ROMANO-BRITISH
1
012AD00488 AT 2-4C POTTERY SHERD JBK  
1
012AD00488 AU 2-4C POTTERY SHERD JBK  
1
012AD00488 AV 3-4C POTTERY SHERD J ROMANO-BRITISH
1
012AD00488 AW 3-4C POTTERY SHERD   ROMANO-BRITISH
1
012AD00738 AA 3-4C POTTERY SHERD J ROMANO-BRITISH
1
012AD00738 AC 3-4C POTTERY SHERD   ROMANO-BRITISH
1
012AD00738 AD 3-4C POTTERY SHERD    
1
012AD00738 AE ROMAN? POTTERY SHERD    
1
012AD00738 AF   DAUB DAUB    
1
012AD00625 AA   IRON IRON OBJECT    
1
012AD00625 AB   IRON IRON PIN    
1
012AD00625 AC   DAUB DAUB    
1
012AD00627 AA   STONE STONE    
1
012AD00628 AA 3-4C POTTERY SHERD   ROMANO-BRITISH
1

Animal Bone

KEY_ID SPECIES ELEMENT QUANT CHEW BURN BUTCH FBRK
012AD00488 Cattle M/T P 1 1 0 0 0
012AD00488 Cattle Pelvis 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Cattle Phalanx 1 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Cattle Phalanx 2 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Cattle Radius D 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Cattle Tibia D 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Cattle Tibia D 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Pig Pelvis fr 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Pig U Canine 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Sheep Calcaneum 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Sheep Calcaneum 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Sheep Humerus D 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Sheep Mandible 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Sheep Radius P 1 0 0 0 1
012AD00488 Sheep/Goat Femur P 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00488 Sheep/Goat M/T D 1 0 0 0 1
012AD00488 Sheep/Goat Radius br 1 0 0 0 1
012AD00488 Sheep/Goat Radius D 1 0 0 0 1
012AD00488 Sheep/Goat Radius P 1 0 0 0 1
012AD00488 Sheep/Goat Tibia D 1 1 0 0 0
012AD00488 Sheep/Goat Ulna 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00738 Cattle Skull fr 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00738 Pig Pelvis 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00738 Sheep Radius C 1 0 0 0 1
012AD00738 Sheep Radius D 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00738 Sheep/Goat Axis 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00738 Sheep/Goat Femur br 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00738 Sheep/Goat Humerus D 1 0 0 0 1
012AD00738 Sheep/Goat Mandible 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00738 Sheep/Goat Phalanx 2 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00738 Sheep/Goat Ulna 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00625 Sheep/Goat Femur P 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00625 Sheep/Goat Horncore 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Cattle Horncore 1 0 0 1 0
012AD00627 Cattle Phalanx 1 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Cattle Ulna 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Domestic fowl Coracoid 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Pig Scapula 1 0 0 0 1
012AD00627 Pig Tibia C 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Sheep M/T P 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Sheep Phalanx 1 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Sheep Phalanx 1 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Sheep/Goat Astragalus 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Sheep/Goat Phalanx 1 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Sheep/Goat Radius D 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00627 Sheep/Goat Ulna 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00628 Cattle M/T C 1 0 0 1 0
012AD00628 Cattle Mand fr 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00628 Sheep M/T C 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00628 Sheep M/T C 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00628 Sheep Phalanx 1 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00628 Sheep/Goat Mandible 1 0 0 0 0
012AD00743 Sheep/Goat Femur D 1 0 0 0 0