Archaeological Investigations on the Flood Alleviation Scheme, Kempsey Worcestershire
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Worcestershire Archaeology Research Report No.7 Archaeological investigations on the KEMPSEY FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEME Tom Vaughan and Jonathan Webster Worcestershire Archaeology Research Report no 7 Archaeological investigations on the Kempsey Flood Alleviation Scheme (WSM 45802) Tom Vaughan and Jonathan Webster With contributions by Alan Clapham, Angus Crawford, Nicholas Daffern, Laura Griffin, Robin Jackson, Peter Marshall, Andrew Millard (Durham University), Suzi Richer, and Gaynor Western (Ossafreelance) Illustrations by Carolyn Hunt, Steve Rigby and Laura Templeton 2017 Worcestershire Archaeology Research Report no 7 Archaeological investigations on the Kempsey Flood Alleviation Scheme Published by Worcestershire Archaeology Archive & Archaeology Service, The Hive, Sawmill Walk, The Butts, Worcester. WR1 3PD ISBN 978-0-9929400-7-2 © Worcestershire County Council 2017 Worcestershire ,County Council County Hall, Spetchley Road, Worcester. WR5 2NP This document is presented in a format for digital use. High-resolution versions may be obtained from the publisher. [email protected] Front cover illustration: excavation and recording an adult male burial (SK8064) Contents Summary ..........................................................1 Reasons for the project ...............................................3 Aims ..........................................................4 Original aims and objectives. 4 Revised aims and objectives ..........................................4 Methods ..........................................................5 Personnel .........................................................5 Documentary research ...............................................5 Fieldwork strategy ...................................................5 Evaluation .........................................................5 Excavation and watching brief .........................................5 Topographic Survey .................................................6 Structural analysis ...................................................6 Artefact methodology by Laura Griffin ...................................7 Artefact recovery policy ...............................................7 Method of analysis ..................................................7 Discard policy ......................................................7 Osteological Assessment methodology by Gaynor Western ..................8 Methods and Process: The Articulated Assemblage ...........................................8 Reasons for the Analysis .............................................9 Methods and Process: The Disarticulated Assemblage ........................................9 Isotope analysis methodology by Andrew Millard ..........................10 Principles ........................................................10 Materials. 10 Methods .........................................................11 Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis ...................................11 Oxygen isotope analysis .............................................11 Environmental archaeology methodology by Alan Clapham ..................12 Sampling policy ....................................................12 Method of analysis .................................................12 Animal bone ......................................................12 Macrofossil analysis ................................................12 i Radiocarbon dating methodology by Nicholas Daffern and Suzi Richer. .13 Statement of confidence in the methods and results .......................13 The application site ...................................................14 Topography, geology and archaeological context. .14 The 1954 investigations .............................................14 Prehistoric ........................................................15 Romano-British. .15 Late Saxon .......................................................16 Medieval .........................................................17 Post-medieval .....................................................17 Modern ..........................................................18 Osteological Context by Gaynor Western ................................18 Health, Disease and Medical Treatment in the Anglo-Saxon Period ...........18 Burial Practices ....................................................20 Current land-use ...................................................24 Structural analysis ....................................................25 The Site narrative ..................................................25 Phase 1: Natural deposits ............................................25 Phase 2: Late Saxon and medieval deposits .............................25 Phase 3: Post-medieval/modern deposits ...............................27 Topographic survey .................................................27 Artefact analysis ...................................................28 Summary of artefactual evidence by period by Laura Griffin . 29 Prehistoric by Robin Jackson and Angus Crawford . 29 Late Iron Age/Roman ...............................................30 Late Saxon .......................................................30 Medieval .........................................................30 Pottery ...........................................................30 Ceramic building material ............................................31 Stone ............................................................33 Post-medieval .....................................................33 Modern ..........................................................34 Osteological Analysis by Gaynor Western ...............................35 The Articulated Assemblage ..........................................35 ii The Physical Evidence in Summary ....................................35 Condition of the skeletal material ......................................35 Completeness of the Individuals. 36 Age and Sex Assessment. .37 Demographic Profile ................................................38 Non-metric traits ...................................................39 Stature and Metric Analysis ..........................................39 Skeletal Pathology .................................................40 Congenital and Developmental Conditions ...............................41 Generalised and Disseminated Conditions ...............................42 Inflammatory Disease ...............................................43 Specific Infection ...................................................45 Trauma ..........................................................48 Joint Disease .....................................................48 Dental Disease ....................................................51 The Articulated Assemblage: Conclusions ...............................54 The Disarticulated Assemblage .......................................54 Observations ......................................................55 Results ..........................................................55 Post-Mortem Modifications ...........................................56 Discussion ........................................................57 Isotope analysis by Andrew Millard .....................................58 Carbon and nitrogen isotopes .........................................58 Oxygen isotopes. 59 Environmental analysis by Alan Clapham ................................63 Results ..........................................................63 Animal bone ......................................................63 Discussion ........................................................65 Radiocarbon dating by Nicholas Daffern, Suzi Richer and Peter Marshall. 66 Results ..........................................................66 Chronological modelling by Suzi Richer and Peter Marshall .................67 Discussion and Conclusions ..........................................68 Artefacts by Laura Griffin ............................................69 Osteology by Gaynor Western ........................................70 Isotope by Andrew Millard ............................................72 iii Environmental by Alan Clapham .......................................73 Radiocarbon dates by Suzi Richer, Nicholas Daffern and Tom Vaughan. .73 The Site by Tom Vaughan ............................................74 Acknowledgements .................................................75 Bibliography .........................................................76 Summary of context dating based on artefacts. 105 The project archive ..................................................111 Site code: WSM 45802 .............................................111 Osteological Archive (Ossafreelance) ..................................112 The project archive is intended to be placed at: ..........................112 Figures Figure 1: Location of the site. .85 Figure 2: Trench location plan. 86 Figure 3 : Topographic Survey ........................................87 Figure 4: Toporaphic Survey interpretation. 88 Figure 5: Excavation area - all features .................................89 Figure 6: Sections through medieval linear features .......................90 Figure 7: Sections through bank in Trench 2 and pit/linear in Trench 3 .........91 Figure 8: Medieval pottery and small finds ...............................91 Figure 9: Illustration of a medieval burial from a French Book of Hours .........92 Figure 11: Inhumations (8039 and 8041) ................................93 Figure 10: Inhumation (8030) truncating