012AG00025 to 012AG00034    Sequence of  layers and surfaces

Stratigraphic Matrix Diagram

                        012AG00001                 
                                           
                         012AG00003                   
                                           
                         012AG00004                   
                                           
                         012AG00005                   
                                           
                         012AG00006                   
                                           
                         012AG00007                   
                                           
                         012AG00008                   
                                           
                      012AG00002   =    012AG00010               
                                           
     012AG00009                                012AG00011       
                                           
012AG00012   = 012AG00026                               012AG00019       
                                           
 012AG00013   =  012AG00027                        012AG00036      012AG00035      012AG00040   
                                           
 012AG00014                    012AG00028  = 012AG00021                012AG00043   
                                           
 012AG00016                                       012AG00041   
                        012AG00030                   
            012AG00029                    012AG00037  =  012AG00020   012AG00049  
                                           
                                         
                                           
                        012AG00031   =  012AG00023               
                                           
                        012AG00032                   
                                           
                        012AG00033   =  012AG00024               
                                           
                        012AG00025                   
                                           
                        012AG00034                   
                                           

The matrix diagram above shows an extract from the full matrix from Area 12AG. Click on the number which you wish to see in more detail. The bold, flashing (Netscape browser only) context indicates the current catalogue entry. You may need to pan around using the slider at the bottom of the screen.

Discussion

After the machine trench had been excavated, it was noted that seven discrete layers could be identified in the section, and these were issued with individual context numbers, though they were never actually excavated. The layers beneath these were then removed by hand and individually recorded, and these are the contexts dealt with in this catalogue entry.

An unusual series of thin linear features (012AG00034) cut into the sandy gravel natural were noted, and this is where the initial excavation in this trench was halted. Interpretation of the function of these features has varied from wheel ruts in a hollow way to sheep trails (highly unlikely!), with the current view being that they were the remains of some form of timber shuttering, possibly the foundations for a timber structure.

These features were then sealed by layer 012AG00025, in effect an irregular interface between 012AG00034 and the colluvial layer (012AG00033) above.
This was a sandy loam with very few (but large) angular chalk inclusions (2%), and a Munsell colour of 10YR 4/4. It was roughly equivalent to spit 012AG00024.
Next (012AG00032) was a layer of apparently rapid colluviation, a sandy clay loam with over 20% angular chalk inclusions (Munsell colour 10YR 4/3).
This was sealed by a sandy silty loam (012AG00031) with very few chalk inclusions (Munsell colour of 10YR 4/3). It marked a period of rather more steady silting, sandwiched between two more rapid colluviation events. It was roughly equivalent to spit 012AG00023.
Both 012AG00029 (Munsell 10YR 3/3, chalk inclusion rate 40%) and 012AG00030 (Munsell 10YR 4/3, chalk inclusion rate 30%) were rapid colluviation events, sandy clay loams sealing 012AG00031.
These were both sealed by 012AG00028, a sandy clay loam (Munsell colour 10YR 4/2), which was interpreted by the excavator as a stabilization layer of buried soil, roughly equivalent to spit 012AG00021.

Finds from the various layers were lifted under the spit numbers, thus the only find from this group of layers was from the linear features, a single late Roman sherd.

Context Details and Section Drawing


 
KEY_ID TYPE SHAPE L B D PROFILE NOTES
012AG00025  LAYER SUB-RECTANGULAR       FLAT SURFACE-2D WHERE WHEEL RUTS? AT BOTTOM OF 34 CUT INTO SAND NATURAL SLOPES DOWN STEEPLY TO THE EAST
012AG00028 BURIED SOIL OVERALL       UNDULATING STABILIZATION LAYER COLLUVIAL DEPOSIT FILLING HOLLOW AND SEALING DEMOLITION DEPOSITS INCLUSIONS OF CHALK ANGULAR 15%<10CM SLUMPS FROM WEST
012AG00029  LAYER OVERALL       UNDULATING THIS IS HILLWASH DEPOSIT ON E OF TRENCH COMES DOWN ONTO NATURAL INCL=40% ROUNDED CHALK<3CM+PEA GRIT
012AG00030  LAYER OVERALL       UNDULATING COLLUVIAL UPPER FILL TO HOLLOW. EPISODE OF FASTER SILTING ANGULAR CHALK INCLUSIONS OF<10CM 30%
012AG00031  LAYER OVERALL       FLAT STEADY SILTING EPISODE IN BETWEEN TWO FASTER EPISODES OF COLLUVIATION INCLUSIONS OF CHALK <5CM 10%
012AG00032  LAYER RECTANGULAR       FLAT THIS MARKS INTERFACE BETWEEN 00031 AND PRIMARY SILT OF LARGE HOLE AND MARKS A PERIOD OF RAPID COLLUVIATION INCLUSIONS OF ANGULAR CHALK <10CM 20%
012AG00033 LAYER RECTANGULAR       UNDULATING INCLUSIONS OF ANGULAR CHALK<10CM 2% ABOVE SURFACE 00025 WHICH CONTAINS WHEEL RUTS? BOTTOM FILL TO HOLLOW WAY FILL RESULTANT FROM GRADING BETWEEN NATURAL+00031
012AG00034 RUTS? LINEAR       UNDULATING MASTER NUMBER ISSUED FOR ?WHEEL RUTS IN ?HOLLOW WAY IN DEEP TRENCH 12AG.

 
KEY_ID OB PERIOD MATERIAL TYPE SUB_TYPE CLASS No
012AG00034 AA 4C POTTERY SHERD OPEN?  
1