Reports from the Environmental Archaeology Unit, York 99/13, 6 Pp

Reports from the Environmental Archaeology Unit, York 99/13, 6 pp.

Evaluation of bioarchaeological remains from Coopers Farm, Long Riston, East Riding of Yorkshire (site code: CFR99)

by Allan Hall, Cluny Johnstone, Frances Large and Darren Worthy

Summary

Excavations at Coopers Farm, Long Riston revealed deposits associated with a probable former medieval village. Two sediment samples and a small volume of hand-collected bone were examined for their bioarchaeological potential. Further work on the present material is not recommended, but if additional excavations were to occur, then provision should be made for recovery of, and work on, a substantial bone assemblage.

Keywords: EVALUATION; COOPERS FARM; LONG RISTON; MEDIEVAL; PLANTS; VERTEBRATES; BONE; INVERTEBRATES; INSECTS

Authors’ address: Prepared for:

Palaeoecology Research Services Humber Field Archaeology Environmental Archaeology Unit The Old School Department of Biology Northumberland Avenue University of York Kingston Upon Hull PO Box 373 HU2 0LN York, YO10 5YW

Answerphone: (01904) 433846 Fax: (01904) 433850 * February 1999 Website: www.york.ac.uk/inst/eau Reports from the EAU, York 99/13 Evaluation: Coopers Farm, Long Riston, East Yorkshire

Evaluation of bioarchaeological remains from Coopers Farm, Long Riston, East Riding of Yorkshire (site code: CFR99)

Introduction appearance of broken surfaces (‘angularity’). In addition, semi-quantitative records were made Excavations were undertaken during 1998 by of fragment size, and of burning, butchery, Humber Field Archaeology on land at fresh breakage and dog gnawing. Coopers Farm, Long Riston, East Riding of Yorkshire. The site revealed remains, and Where possible, fragments were identified to associated deposits, of a probable former species or species group, using the reference medieval village. Twenty General Biological collection at the Environmental Archaeology Analysis samples (‘GBAs’ sensu Dobney et al. Unit, University of York. Fragments not 1992) and half a box (approximately 8 litres in identifiable to species were grouped into volume) of hand-collected animal bone were categories: large mammal (assumed to be cattle, submitted for an evaluation of their horse or large cervid), medium-sized mammal bioarchaeological potential. All of the (assumed to be caprovid, pig or small cervid) material was dated to between the late 11th and unidentified. century to the early 13th century. Measurements for mammals were taken (where Methods appropriate), according to von den Driesch (1976), with additional measurements Sediment samples following those outlined by Dobney et al. (forthcoming). Weights of identified and All the material was initially inspected in the unidentified fragments were also recorded. laboratory and described using a standard pro forma. Two subsamples were selected and Results processed for extraction of plant and invertebrate macrofossils following procedures Sediment samples of Kenward et al. (1980; 1986). Context information provided by the excavator All invertebrate macrofossils were recorded is in square brackets. semi-quantitatively using the scale described by Kenward et al. (1986) and Kenward (1992). Context 51, Sample 14/T [ditch fill] 2 kg Records were made on a paper pro forma for processed later transferal to a computer database (using Paradox software) for analysis and long-term Laboratory description: moist, mid grey/brown, storage. crumbly and granular (working plastic), slightly sandy, silty clay to clay silt. Locally the deposit Vertebrate remains was slightly orange and more grey, with occasional flecks of white and red ?burnt soil. Data from the hand-collected vertebrate Slight mottling, probably from intermittent remains were recorded electronically directly wetting and drying, was noted. Modern rootlets into a series of tables using a purpose-built were also present. input system and Paradox software. For contexts containing more than five fragments The tiny flot consisted of modern rootlets subjective records were made of the state of together with a few fragments of very eroded preservation, colour of the fragments, and the and fragmentary charred ?cereal grains, a few uncharred modern grass seeds, and two

2 Reports from the EAU, York 99/13 Evaluation: Coopers Farm, Long Riston, East Yorkshire earthworm capsules. The rather small residue consistent within contexts, being described as of about 350 cm3 was of sand, gravel and small good or fair. Angularity (appearance of broken clasts of undisaggregated (perhaps somewhat surfaces) was mostly recorded as ‘spiky’, concreted) sandy clay, with traces of charred although six of the twelve contexts contained a material (to about 10 mm) which may have few fragments described as ‘battered’. Colour been burnt peat. was more variable both within and between contexts, and ranged from fawn, through Context 72, Sample 19/T [ditch fill with burnt ginger, to brown, with a few fragments showing material and daub] 2 kg processed darker mottling.

Laboratory description: moist, light A moderate degree of fragmentation was noted, orange/brown to mid-dark grey/brown to black, with more than 50% of the fragments between locally crumbly, soft (working plastic), slightly 5 and 20 cm in any dimension. Two contexts sandy, clay silt with more clay locally and (55 and 68) contained a higher proportion of charcoal common. Modern rootlets were smaller fragments. Burnt fragments were noted present. in two contexts (6 and 70), with 20-50 % of the fragments affected. Dog gnawing was present The large flot of modern rootlets contained in five contexts and varied from 10% to greater several well-preserved charred seeds, probably than 50 % of all the fragments. Evidence for mainly from plants of fens and wet meadows, butchery and fresh breakage was noted and some herbaceous detritus which might throughout, but was not extensive. include stem and/or leaf fragments of sedges (Carex, or even Cladium). Very few Table 1 shows the numbers of fragments invertebrates were present: two mites, a single recorded by species, together with the numbers Daphnia ephippium (water flea resting egg), of subadult bones, mandibles and teeth giving one fly puparium and an individual of ageing or sexing information, and weights. A Xylodromus concinnus (Marsham). total of 71 fragments were recovered (weighing 2253.6 g), of which 26 (weighing 1766.8 g) The rather small residue of about 300 cm3 were identified to species. included one large lump of daub (to 70 mm), moderate amounts of sand and gravel, and Mammalian species represented included cow some large and unusually well-preserved (15 fragments), caprovid (6 fragments including charred root/rhizome fragments from 2 identified as sheep), horse (1) and dog (2). monocotyledonous plants (probably grasses or Birds were represented by single fragments of sedges), as well as some charred peat chicken and raven (Corvus corax L.). Of the 45 fragments. These and the plant remains seem unidentified fragments, 32 were from large most likely to have originated in the burning of mammal bones and 13 from medium-sized peat. mammal bones. Ten of the 26 identifiable bones were measured (Table 2). Hand-collected vertebrate remains Discussion and statement of potential Material was recorded from 21 contexts of which only twelve contained over five The very small size of the vertebrate fragments; preservation was recorded for this assemblage renders it of little interpretative or material only. zooarchaeological value as it stands. However, the reasonably good preservation of the Overall preservation of the bone assemblage vertebrate remains suggests that, if further was variable. However it was generally excavation were to take place, a substantial

3 Reports from the EAU, York 99/13 Evaluation: Coopers Farm, Long Riston, East Yorkshire assemblage may be recovered. The tight dating References of the material and the high proportion of measurable fragments suggests that a larger Dob ney, K., Hall, A. R., Kenward, H. K. and Milles, A. assemblage would be of use in site (1992). A working classification of sample types for interpretation and for providing environmental archaeology. Circaea, the Journal of the Association for Environmental Archaeology 9 (for zooarchaeological information for this period. 1991), 24-6.

If there are pressing archaeological reasons it Dob ney, K., Jaques, D. and Johnstone, C. (forthcoming). may be worth processing large amounts of the [Protocol for recording vertebrate remains from material from Context 72 to obtain further archaeological sites]. vegetative material for an attempt at closer Driesch, A. von den (1976). A guide to the measurement identification of the charred rhizome/root of animal bones from archaeological sites. Peabody fragments and to make a more extensive Museum Bulletin 1, Cambridge Mass., Harvard species list. University.

Kenward, H. K. (1992). Rapid recording of Recommendations archaeological insect remains - a reconsideration. Circaea, the Journal of the Association for Additional work on the present material is not Environmental Archaeology 9 (for 1991), 81-8. recommended but if further excavations were to Kenward, H. K., Engleman, C., Robertson, A., and take place at this site provision should be made Large, F. (1986). Rapid scanning of urban archaeological for the recovery of, and appropriate post- deposits for insect remains. Circaea 3 (for 1985), excavation work on, a substantial bone 163-72. assemblage. Kenward, H. K., Hall, A. R. and Jones, A. K. G. (1980). A tested set of techniques for the extraction of plant and Storage requirements animal macrofossils from waterlogged archaeological deposits. Science and Archaeology 22, 3-15. The remaining sediment, residues, flots and extracted invertebrate remains and bone should all be preserved to permit further study.