West Heslerton: Anglian Settlement Structural Catalogue

012AD00815

Ditch

Ditch Details
Length	591	Maximum Width	66	Maximum Depth	28	Profile	V-shaped
Material Culture	Number of Objects	11	Number of Animal Bones			10
Environmental

Phasing

The ditch has been phase to the Middle Saxon period, based on stratigraphic relationships and the find of Niedermendig lava fragments. Some burnt daub was also recovered, and this generally indicates a later date for the features in this area. However, the only other diagnostic material recovered were five Roman pot sherds.

Stratigraphic Matrix Diagram

		012AD00814			012AD00816

		012AD00815			012AD00817

		012AD00725			012AD00530

		012AD00514

Discussion

This was one of two parallel ditch segments (with 012AD00817), which were the latest events in the immediate vicinity. It was not possible to define the stratigraphic relationship between the two during the excavation phase, although the sections hint at 012AD00817 being the later of the two. The fill was a dark (Munsell colour 10YR 3/2) sandy clay loam, with 5% chalk inclusions. Both daub and charcoal flecking were evident, with a sample of burnt daub being taken. Only a few animal bones were recovered, all leg bones (from 4 different species).

Although not physically connected, it seems likely that these ditches formed part of a funnel entrance with ditch 012AD00763 and 012AD00833), which together with enclosures 012AD00754 and 012AD00811, controlled access into the southern part of the western rectangular enclosure system.

The ditch was cut into chalk with a flat-based V-profile.

All Contexts and Associated Finds Totals

CUT	FILL	VOLUME	OBJECTS	AN BONE	DENSITY
012AD00815	012AD00814		11	10

012AD00814 Object Totals by Period and Material

KEY_ID	MATERIAL	PERIOD	No
012AD00814	CHARCOAL		1
	COPPER ALLOY		1
	DAUB		1
	FIRED CLAY		1
	POTTERY	3-4C	4
	POTTERY	4C	1
	STONE		1
	UTILISED STONE	ANGLIAN	1

012AD00814 Animal Bone Totals by Species

KEY_ID	SPECIES	No
012AD00814	Cattle	3
	Horse	1
	Pig	1
	Sheep	2
	Sheep/Goat	3

Context Details

012AD00815 Sections and Notes

KEY_ID TYPE SHAPE L B D PROFILE NOTES

012AD00814 SLOT FILL LINEAR
591

66

28
U-SHAPED SLOT FILL. DAUB AND CHARCOAL FLECKING. 15% CHALK INCLUSIONS < 15CMS. BONE FOUND. RUNS PARALLEL TO 816/7 E-W AND CUTS SEVERAL SLOTS RUNNING N-S.

012AD00815 SLOT CUT LINEAR
591

66

28
U-SHAPED SLOT CUT. CUT INTO CHALK BEDROCK. NO RELATIONSHIP ASCERTAIN WITH 816/7. TERMINATES IN FRONT OF TERMINATION OF 830/1. CUTS SEVERAL SLOTS RUNNING N-S.

Objects

KEY_ID	OB	PERIOD	MATERIAL	TYPE	SUB_TYPE	CLASS	No
012AD00814	AA		DAUB	BURNT DAUB			1
012AD00814	AB		CHARCOAL	CHARCOAL SAMPLE			1
012AD00814	AC	3-4C	POTTERY	SHERD	JCUR	ROMANO-BRITISH	1
012AD00814	AD		FIRED CLAY	FIRED CLAY	BRICK/TILE		2
012AD00814	AE		STONE	STONE		RED CHALK	1
012AD00814	AF	3-4C	POTTERY	SHERD	JNN		1
012AD00814	AG	3-4C	POTTERY	SHERD	J	ROMANO-BRITISH	1
012AD00814	AH	4C	POTTERY	SHERD	JHUN	ROMANO-BRITISH	1
012AD00814	AI		COPPER ALLOY	C/A FRAGMENTS			2
012AD00814	AJ	ANGLIAN	UTILISED STONE	LAVA	NIEDERMENDIG		18
012AD00814	AK	3-4C	POTTERY	SHERD		ROMANO-BRITISH	1

Animal Bone

KEY_ID	SPECIES	ELEMENT	QUANT	CHEW	BURN	BUTCH	FBRK
012AD00814	Cattle	Femur fr	1	0	0	0	0
012AD00814	Cattle	Ulna	1	0	0	0	0
012AD00814	Cattle	Ulna	1	1	0	0	0
012AD00814	Horse	M/C D	1	0	0	1	0
012AD00814	Pig	Calcaneum	1	1	0	0	0
012AD00814	Sheep	Phalanx 2	1	0	0	0	0
012AD00814	Sheep	Radius D	1	0	0	0	0
012AD00814	Sheep/Goat	Astragalus	1	0	0	1	0
012AD00814	Sheep/Goat	M/C P	1	0	1	0	0
012AD00814	Sheep/Goat	Radius P	1	1	0	0	0

KEY_ID	TYPE	SHAPE	L	B	D	PROFILE	NOTES
012AD00814	SLOT FILL	LINEAR	591	66	28	U-SHAPED	SLOT FILL. DAUB AND CHARCOAL FLECKING. 15% CHALK INCLUSIONS < 15CMS. BONE FOUND. RUNS PARALLEL TO 816/7 E-W AND CUTS SEVERAL SLOTS RUNNING N-S.
012AD00815	SLOT CUT	LINEAR	591	66	28	U-SHAPED	SLOT CUT. CUT INTO CHALK BEDROCK. NO RELATIONSHIP ASCERTAIN WITH 816/7. TERMINATES IN FRONT OF TERMINATION OF 830/1. CUTS SEVERAL SLOTS RUNNING N-S.