Table Of Content

The Stonehenge Environs Project EnglishOHeritage Archaeological Report no 16 The Stonehenge Environs Project Ju lian Richards with contributions by Mike Alien, Alister Bartlett, Martin Bell, Wendy Carruthers, Rosamund Cleal, Anne Ellison, Roy Entwistle, Rowena Gale, Philip Harding, Janet Henderson, Julie }ones, Helen Keeley, Mark Maltby, Joshua Pollard, Prances Raymond, Hazel Riley, Fiona Roe, and Olwen Williams-Thorpe Historic Buildings & Monuments Commission for England 1990 V Conte11ts 4.14 W34: the sample excavation of Fargo Wood 11 later Bronze Age pottery scatter ................. 194 4.15 A Late Bronze Age settlement at Winterbourne List of illustrations ........................................... vii Stoke Crossroads .................................... 208 List of tables .................................................... ix 4.16 W17-22, W25--26: dry valley research .......... 210 Microfiche contents .......................................... xi Acknowledgements ......................................... xiii 5 Lithic studies ......................................... 212 Organisation of the report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii 5.1 Introduction .......................................... 212 1 The study area .......................................... 1 5.2 The comparative analysis of four stratified flint 1.1 Introduction to the study area ...................... 1 assemblages and a knapping cluster, by Philip 1.2 The objectives of the project ......................... 1 Harding ................................................. 213 1.3 The topography and geology of the study area 6 5.3 The scraper assemblages and petit tranchet 1.4 Land use and preservation .......................... 7 derivative arrowheads, by Hazel Riley .......... 225 1.5 Introduction to the archaeology of the project 5.4 Worked flint assemblages: an overview ....... 228 area ......................................................... 9 5.5 Non-local stone ...................................... 229 1. 6 A history of previous enquiries ..................... 9 6 The prehistoric pottery, by Rosamund Cleal with 2 Methodology ........................................... 11 Frances Raymond ...................................... 233 2.1 The general strategy .................................. 11 6.1 Early-Middle Neolithic: South-Western style, 2.2 Extensive surface survey ............................ 11 Decorated style ...................................... 233 2.3 Intensive (pre-excavation) surface survey ...... 12 6.2 Middle-Late Neolithic: Peterborough Ware .. 234 2.4 Excavation ............................................... 14 6.3 Later Neolithic: Grooved Ware .................. 236 2.5 Comments on the methodology ................... 14 6.4 Beakers ................................................. 237 6.5 Early Bronze Age: Collared Urns, Food Vessels, 3 Surface collections .................................... 15 Biconical Urns ........................................ 239 3.1 Extensive surface collection evidence - the 6.6 Early-Middle Bronze Age: Deverel- material .................................................. 15 Rimbury ............................................... 240 3.2 Surface collection analysis .......................... 15 6. 7 Late Bronze Age ..................................... 241 3.3 Lithics .................................................... 15 6.8 The ceramic sequence: summary and discus- 3.4 Distribution patterns ................................. 19 sion, by Rosamund Cleal ............................. 242 3.5 Interpretation of lithic material from extensive surface collection ...................................... 22 7 The exploitation of animals in the Stonehenge 3.6 Discussion ............................................... 24 Environs in the Neolithic and Bronze Age, by 3. 7 The distribution of non-local stones .............. 25 Mark Malt by ........................................... 247 3.8 Ceramics ................................................. 25 7.1 Earlier Neolithic ..................................... 247 3. 9 Prehistoric ceramics from surface collection, by 7.2 Later Neolithic ....................................... 248 Rosamund Cleal ......................................... 30 7.3 Bronze Age ............................................ 248 7.4 Conclusions ........................................... 249 4 Excavations ............................................ 40 4.1 W2: the excavation of the Coneybury 8 Plant and molluscan remains .................... 250 'Anomaly', an Early Neolithic pit on Coneybury 8.1 Carbonised plant remains, by Wendy Hill, 1980-1 ............................................. 40 Carruthers .............................................. 250 4.2 W83: interim report on the excavation of an 8.2 Charcoals, by Rowena Gale ......................... 252 Early Neolithic flint scatter at Robin Hood's 8.3 Molluscan studies, by M J Allen, Ray Entwistle, Ball ........................................................ 61 and Julian Richards ................................... 253 4.3 Neolithic pits on the King Barrow Ridge and Vespasian' s Ridge ..................................... 65 9 Dating evidence ..................................... 259 4.4 W32: the sample excavation of Fargo Wood I flint sea tter .............................................. 66 10 Landscape development and prehistoric so- 4.5 W55: the evaluation excavation of the Lesser cieties in the Stonehenge Environs ............ 263 Cursus .................................................... 72 10.1 The earlier Neolithic ................................ 263 4.6 W56: sample excavation of the Stonehenge 10.2 The later Neolithic .................................. 267 Cursus .................................................... 93 10.3 The earlier Bronze Age ............................. 271 4.7 W58: Amesbury 42long barrow ................... 96 10.4 The later Bronze Age ............................... 275 4.8 W59: the evaluation of a Neolithic flint scatter 10.5 The Stonehenge Environs in the final pre- on the King Barrow Ridge ......................... 109 historic and historic periods ...................... 280 4. 9 W2: Coneybury Henge ............................ 123 4.10 W31: the sample excavation of a flint scatter on Wilsford Down ....................................... 158 11 Summary, assessment, and continuing 4.11 W57: Durrington Down round barrow and its threats .................................................. 281 immediate environs ................................ 171 11.1 Summary of the project results and assessment 4.12 W52: the sample excavation of the Wilsford in the light of the original objectives of the Down North Kite .................................... 184 project .................................................. 281 4.13 W31, area M, and W51: the sample excavation 11.2 Threats to the Stonehenge archaeological land- of linear ditches on Wilsford Down, 1982-3 .. 192 scape .................................................... 281 vi Appendices 1 An introduction to the project archive ......... 283 2 Pottery concordance ................................ 284 3 Prehistoric pottery fabric description .......... 289 (cid:126)(cid:117)(cid:109)(cid:109)(cid:97)(cid:114)(cid:121)(cid:32)..................................................... 290 Resume ........................................................ 290 Zusammenfassung ......................................... 290 Bibliography ................................................. 291 Index ........................................................... 296 Vll List of illustrations 33 W2 (1981) Coneybury 'Anomaly': prehistoric pottery form histograms 1 Location map 34 Robin Hood's Ball causewayed enclosure: 2 The topography and major monuments of the location of areas of recent survey and excavation study area (W83, W84) 3 All archaeological monuments within the study 35 King Barrow Ridge earlier Neolithic pit: pre- area historic pottery (P53--P56) 4 Normanton Down, with Stonehenge in the 36 Fargo Wood sites: location of W32 and W34 distance, viewed from Wilsford Down 37 Fargo Wood sites: location of magnetometer and 5 Wilsford Down viewed from Normanton Down susceptibility surveys 6 The chronology of monuments and ceramic 38 W32 Fargo Wood I: magnetometer survey plot styles 39 W32 Fargo Wood I: comparative artefact tran- 7 Extensive surface collection hectare sampling sects strategy 40 W32 Fargo Wood I: prehistoric pottery (P118-- 8 Location of extensive and intensive surface P138) collection areas and project excavations 41 W32 Fargo Wood I: prehistoric pottery fabric 9 Recovery of total number of worked flints per histogram 50m collection unit 42 W32 Fargo Wood 1: prehistoric pottery com- 10 The distribution of all worked flint from parative fabric histograms extensive surface collection 43 W55 Lesser Cursus: overall plan and location of 11 Flint tools with chronological attributes excavated areas 12 The distribution of all flint cores from extensive 44 WSS Lesser Cursus: magnetometer survey plot surface collection 45 W55 Lesser Cursus: area A plan 13 The distribution of all flint flakes from extensive 46 W55 Lesser Cursus: area A fully excavated from surface collection the south-west 14 The distribution of all flint tools from extensive 47 W55 Lesser Cursus: area A ditch sections surface collection 48 W55 Lesser Cursus: area A antler deposit on 15 Flint scraper type series base of phase 2 ditch 16 The distribution by weight of prehistoric pottery 49 W55 Lesser Cursus: area B plan and ditch from extensive surface collection sections 17 The distribution by weight of Roman pottery 50 W55 Lesser Cursus: area B fully excavated from from extensive surface collection the east 18 The distribution by weight of medieval and 51 W55 Lesser Cursus: area C plan and ditch post-medieval pottery from extensive surface sections collection 52 W55 Lesser Cursus: area C ditch section central 19 The distribution by weight of ceramic tile from baulk from west extensive surface collection 53 W55 Lesser Cursus: prehistoric pottery (P227- 20 Prehistoric pottery from extensive surface P239) collection: sherd number and weight by ceramic 54 W55 Lesser Cursus: prehistoric pottery fabric style (field groups 1-4) histogram 21 Surface collection prehistoric pottery (P269- 55 W55 Lesser Cursus: area A antler rake with P304) groove and splinter SF7 22 Surface collection prehistoric pottery (P305- 56 W55 Lesser Cursus: area A antler pick SF216 P316) 57 W55 Lesser Cursus: area A antler pick SF217 23 Surface collection prehistoric pottery (P317- 58 W55 Lesser Cursus: area C antler with groove P335), Winterbourne Stoke Crossroads (P336) and splinter SF211 and Durrington Wails (P337) 59 W55 Lesser Cursus: summary mollusc diagrams 24 W2 (1981) Coneybury 'Anomaly': plan, section, 60 W55 Lesser Cursus: area A mollusc diagrams and distribution of finds in primary deposit 61 W55 Lesser Cursus: area C mollusc diagrams 25 W2 (1981) Coneybury 'Anomaly': detail of the 62 The Stonehenge Cursus: location of all previous primary deposit excavations, W56 A and B ditch sections 26 W2 (1981) Coneybury 'Anomaly': detail of the 63 W56 Stonehenge Cursus: area A, view from primary deposit south-east over excavated ditch and former 27 W2 (1981) Coneybury 'Anomaly': flint scraper position of bank with refitting resharpening chip 64 W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow: contour plan 28 W2 (1981) Coneybury 'Anomaly': prehistoric and trench location pottery (Pl-P4) 65 W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow: ditch section 29 W2 (1981) Coneybury 'Anomaly': prehistoric 66 W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow: excavated pottery (PS-PlO) phase 1 causewayed ditch and surviving 30 W2 (1981) Coneybury 'Anomaly': prehistoric structure of barrow mound pottery (Pll- P23) 67 W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow: location plan 31 W2 (1981) Coneybury "Anomaly': prehistoric and refitting sequences of phase 1 ditch flint pottery (P24-P52) knapping cluster 32 W2 (1981) Coneybury 'Anomaly': prehistoric 68 W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow: refitting flint 1 pottery fabric histograms 69 W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow: refitting flint 2 viii 70 W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow: prehistoric 104 W2 Coneybury Henge: pit 1177 with surround- pottery fabric histogram ing stakeholes 71 W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow: ditch section 105 W2 Coneybury Henge: stakeholes 1134 and summary mollusc diagram 1135 72 W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow: mollusc dia- 106 W2 Coneybury Henge: refitting flints gram 107 W2 Coneybury Henge: refitting flints 73 W59 King Barrow Ridge: all monuments and 108 W2 Coneybury Henge: prehistoric pottery distribution of flint tools from surface collection (P57-P89) 74 W59 King Barrow Ridge: distribution of flint 109 W2 Coneybury Henge: copper alloy objects tools from intensive surface collection 110 W2 Coneybury Henge: mollusc diagram 75 W59 King Barrow Ridge: magnetometer and 111 W2 Coneybury Henge: southern ditch sediment excavation sample diagram 76 W59 King Barrow Ridge: magnetometer survey 112 W31 Wilsford Down: location plan and sample 77 W59 King Barrow Ridge: magnetic susceptibility transect survey 113 W31 Wilsford Down: magnetometer and magnetic 78 W59 King Barrow Ridge: distribution of all worked susceptibility sample areas flint from ploughsoil excavation 114 W31 Wilsford Down: magnetometer survey 79 W59 King Barrow Ridge: distribution of flint tools 115 W31 Wilsford Down: magnetic susceptibility survey from ploughsoil excavation 116 W31 Wilsford Down: sample transect, geo- 80 W59 King Barrow Ridge: distribution of burnt flint physical anomalies, distribution of all worked from ploughsoil excavation flint and flint cores 81 W59 King Barrow Ridge: distribution of sarsen from 117 W31 Wilsford Down: sample transect, flint ploughsoil excavation scrapers, other flint tools, and overall interpret- 82 W59 King Barrow Ridge: comparative surface/ ation ploughsoil artefact densities 118 W31 Wilsford Down: flint blade cores and 83 W59 King Barrow Ridge: plans and section of refitting material Neolithic pits 119 W31 Wilsford Down: prehistoric pottery (P90- 84 W59 King Barrow Ridge: area L plan P117) 85 W59 King Barrow Ridge: prehistoric pottery 120 W31 Wilsford Down: prehistoric pottery fabric (P257-P265), W58 Amesbury 42 long barrow histogram prehistoric pottery (P267-P268), and King 121 W57 Durrington Down barrow: pre-excavation Barrow Ridge occasional find 1 (P266) contour and flint nodule plan, and sample 86 W59 King Barrow Ridge: pottery fabric histo- design gram 122 W57 Durrington Down barrow: distribution of 87 W59 King Barrow Ridge: area C, bone point prehistoric and Saxon pottery from ploughsoil SF265 excavation 88 W2 Coneybury Henge: geophysical survey sample 123 W57 Durrington Down barrow: distribution of area worked flint from ploughsoil excavation 89 W2 Coneybury Henge: magnetometer survey 124 W57 Durrington Down barrow: distribution of burnt 90 W2 Coneybury Henge: resistivity survey flint from ploughsoil excavation 91 W2 Coneybury Henge: magnetic susceptibility 125 W57 Durrington Down barrow: plan of sur- survey viving barrow elements and detail of primary 92 W2 Coneybury Henge: magnetic susceptibility inhumation survey, field and laboratory measurements 126 W57 Durrington Down barrow: primary in- 93 W2 Coneybury Henge: phosphate survey humation and associated cremation deposit 94 W2 Coneybury Henge: excavation sample 127 W57 Durrington Down barrow: plans and design section of associated burial features 95 W2 Coneybury Henge: distribution of burnt and 128 W57 Durrington Down barrow: secondary worked flint from ploughsoil excavation inhumation 96 W2 Coneybury Henge: distribution of flint 129 W57 Durrington Down barrow: overall inter- scrapers and other flint tools from ploughsoil pretation plan excavation 130 W57 Durrington Down barrow: prehistoric and 97 W2 Coneybury Henge: overall excavation plan Saxon pottery (P240-P256) 98 W2 Coneybury Henge: detailed plan of areas 131 W57 Durrington Down barrow: prehistoric and A-C Saxon pottery fabric histogram 99 W2 Coneybury Henge: detailed plan of areas 132 W57 Durrington Down barrow: area B antler D-F object SF190 100 W2 Coneybury Henge: ditch sections 133 Wilsford Down North Kite: overall plan, lo- 101 W2 Coneybury Henge: southern ditch section cation of cuttings, and sections of Greenfield's from west cu ttings A and D 102 W2 Coneybury Henge: ditch terminal section 134 W52 Wilsford Down North Kite: sections from south-west 135 W52 Wilsford Down North Kite: general view 103 W2 Coneybury Henge: sections of interior of cutting from west showing bank structure features and buried soil