012AD05458

Pit

Phasing

The pit has tentatively been phased to the Anglian period, by the find of a fragment of Niedermendig lava. The only other diagnostic finds were 4 Romano-British pot sherds. The pit was cut by Grubenhaus 012AD07060. The Grubenhaus also contained Niedermendig lava, and it is possible that the lava found in this pit is intrusive, thus giving the pit a Roman date. The base of burnt clay (012AD05530), may indicate a functional relationship with the bread oven (012AD05498), some 5 metres to the east.

Stratigraphic Matrix Diagram

                012AD07060     
                     
                     
                     
            012AD05457         
                     
        012AD05586             
                     
        012AD05587             
                     
        012AD05588             
                     
        012AD05530            
                  012AD05503   
            012AD05458         
  012AD07214                012AD05504   
                     

Discussion

Although rapidly excavated as a single fill, the section clearly indicated that four fills were present, as well as a burnt clay base.

The base was covered by a burnt clay and daub layer (012AD05530), apparently fired in situ, with some unfired clay around the edges. Samples of daub and unfired clay were taken, although they were erroneously given the pit fill number 012AD05457. Above this was a thin layer (012AD05588) of sandy clay loam (Munsell colour 10YR 4/2) with a high 25-30% chalk inclusion rate. Daub and charcoal flecking was present. This was sealed by 012AD05587, a sandy clay loam (Munsell colour 10YR 4/2) with only 5% chalk inclusions. Again daub and charcoal flecking was noted. Above this was layer 012AD05586, a sandy clay loam (Munsell colour 10YR 4/2) containing 30% chalk inclusions. As in all of the other fills, daub and charcoal flecking was evident. The final fill was a darker (Munsell 10YR 3/2) sandy clay loam) with 15% chalk inclusions. Both daub and charcoal samples were taken.

Of note was one of only 15 coprolites found during the 1995 season. A cockle shell and a fragment of slag were also among the objects found. Animal species were predominantly sheep/goat, with cattle and pig equally represented. A single duck bone was also recovered.

The pit was cut into hillwash and chalk, and was cut by Grubenhaus 012AD07060.

All Contexts and Associated Finds Totals

CUT  FILL VOLUME OBJECTS AN BONE DENSITY
012AD05458 012AD05457   25 23  
012AD05530 0 0
012AD05586 0 0
012AD05587 0 0
012AD05588 0 0

012AD5457 Object Totals by Material and Period

KEY_ID MATERIAL PERIOD No
012AD05457 CHARCOAL  
3
  COPROLITE  
1
  DAUB  
1
  POTTERY  
1
  POTTERY 3-4C
3
  POTTERY 4TH CENTURY
1
  SHELL  
1
  SLAG  
1
  STONE  
8
  UNFIRED CLAY  
2
  UTILISED STONE ANGLIAN
1

012AD5457 Animal Bone Totals by Species

KEY_ID SPECIES No
012AD05457 Cattle
4
  Duck spp.
1
  Pig
4
  Sheep
6
  Sheep/Goat
8

Context Details

012AD05458 Section and Notes


 
KEY_ID TYPE SHAPE L B D PROFILE NOTES
012AD05457 PIT FILL SUB-CIRCULAR
231
140
46
 WIDE U FILL OF PIT CONTAINING OVEN DAUB/CLAY DEPOSIT 5530. CUT BY GRUB. 15% CHALK. DAUB AND CHARCOAL LUMPS. BONE LIFTED BY CONTEXT ONLY.
012AD05458 PIT CUT SUB-CIRCULAR
231
140
46
 WIDE U CUT OF PIT CONTAINING OVEN DAUB/CLAY DEPOSIT 5530. CUT BY GRUB. ROUGH CUT INTO FRAG. CHALK. POSS. FORMS THE WALL OF THE COLLAPSED OVEN.
012AD05586 PIT FILL UNCLEAR
69
94
12
 U-SHAPED LAYER. 30% CHALK. SEPARATING 5457 AND 5587. DAUB AND CHARCOAL INCLUSIONS. SEEN IN SECTION ONLY.
012AD05587 PIT FILL UNCLEAR
69
120
12
 U-SHAPED LAYER. -5% CHALK. SEPARATING 5588 AND 5586. DAUB AND CHARCOAL INCLUSIONS. SEEN IN SECTION ONLY.
012AD05588 PIT FILL UNCLEAR
69
120
6
 U-SHAPED PIT FILL CONTAINING 20-30% CHALK. VERY GRITTY LAYER. DAUB AND CHARCOAL INCLUSIONS. SEEN IN SECTION ONLY. FORMS PRIMARY COVERING OF OVEN 5530.

012AD05530 Notes

KEY_ID TYPE SHAPE L B D PROFILE NOTES
012AD05530 P OVATE
160
150
10
 UNCLEAR CLAY BASE. CONSISTS OF CLAY AND DAUB. CENTRAL PART IS BURNT HARD WITH OUTSIDE MORE CLAYEY.

Objects

KEY_ID OB PERIOD MATERIAL TYPE SUB_TYPE CLASS No
012AD05457 AA ANGLIAN UTILISED STONE LAVA NIEDERMENDIG  
7
012AD05457 AB   DAUB DAUB    
5
012AD05457 AC   CHARCOAL CHARCOAL SAMPLE    
1
012AD05457 AD   UNFIRED CLAY UNFIRED CLAY    
2
012AD05457 AE   UNFIRED CLAY UNFIRED CLAY    
1
012AD05457 AF   STONE STONE   RED CHALK
1
012AD05457 AG   STONE PEBBLE    
1
012AD05457 AI   POTTERY SHERDS    
3
012AD05457 AJ   CHARCOAL CHARCOAL SAMPLE    
1
012AD05457 AK   STONE STONE   RED CHALK
1
012AD05457 AL   STONE STONE   OOLITE
1
012AD05457 AM   SLAG SLAG    
1
012AD05457 AN   CHARCOAL CHARCOAL SAMPLE    
1
012AD05457 AO 4TH CENTURY POTTERY SHERD   ROMANO-BRITISH
1
012AD05457 AP 3-4C POTTERY SHERD   ROMANO-BRITISH
1
012AD05457 AQ 3-4C POTTERY SHERD    
1
012AD05457 AS   STONE STONE    
1
012AD05457 AT   STONE STONE    
1
012AD05457 AU   STONE STONE    
3
012AD05457 AV   SHELL SHELL   COCKLE
1
012AD05457 AW 3-4C POTTERY SHERD CLSD  
1
012AD05457 AX   STONE STONE    
1
012AD05457 AY   COPROLITE COPROLITE    
1

Animal Bones

KEY_ID SPECIES ELEMENT QUANT CHEW BURN BUTCH FBRK
012AD05457 Cattle Calcaneum 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Cattle Mand fr 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Cattle Phalanx 1 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Cattle Tibia br 1 1 0 0 0
012AD05457 Duck spp. Coracoid 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Pig M/C C 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Pig Radius C 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Pig Tibia P 1 0 0 0 1
012AD05457 Pig Ulna 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep M/C P 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep M/T C 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep Mandible 1 0 0 0 1
012AD05457 Sheep Mandible 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep Phalanx 2 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep Radius C 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep/Goat Atlas 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep/Goat Humerus br 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep/Goat LM3 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep/Goat M/T P 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep/Goat Pelvis fr 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep/Goat Scapula 1 0 0 0 1
012AD05457 Sheep/Goat Scapula 1 0 0 0 0
012AD05457 Sheep/Goat Tibia D 1 0 0 0 1