ORE Open Research Exeter

TITLE Reconstructing past wetland landscapes - two case studies from the wetlands

AUTHORS Van de Noort, Robert

DEPOSITED IN ORE 25 April 2008

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http://hdl.handle.net/10036/24172

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1y'1 1a^ Archaeologyin the SevernEs'tuarv 11 (2000).loJ- I /+

RECONSTRUCTIl\G PAST WETLAND LANDSCAPES - TWO CASE,STUDIES FROM THE HUMBER WETLANDS

By RobertVan de Noort

Thispaper considersthe process of producing reconstructiondrawings of twopast wetland landscapes.-the Ancholme valley at around 1000 cal BC and theHumberforeshore at Melton at c. 1400 cal BC. Despitethe problems of integrating dffirent strands of evidenceand information, and especially in determining the contemporaneityoJ' environmental and archaeological evidence,this paper argues that reconstruction drawings remain an attractive medium with which to convey the results of interdisciplinary researchto a larger public.

Introduction gaps in the knowledge and understandingof the sceneto be reconstructed,and will assistin the Reconstructingpast landscapesand siteson paper, formulation of new researchquestions (and through the artistic interpretationof the archaeo- see Brunningthis volume). logical record, forms an important part of the Sec ondly, p aper-based reconstructions operate archaeologicalresearch method. In Britain, its first asexperimental archaeology by proxy. Although not use in a wetland contextprobably dates to 1910, constitutingthe actual testing of archaeological when Forestierreconstructed scenes from the late hypotheses,buildings or scenesbased on the Iron Age Glastonbury lake settlementin the archaeologicalrecord that are expressedin words Illustrated London I'lews. Reconstructionsare now can,up to apoint,be validatedor invalidatedthrough regardedby many archaeologistsas somethingof a reconstructions,in particular where architectural necessaryevil. On the one hand they are seen as informationis provided (cf. Reynolds2000). More unscientificand subjectivebut on the otheras a very idiosyncraticscenes from the past, such as inter- convenienttool that allows a larger public to pretations surroundingthe large ritual monuments appreciatemany more aspectsofpast life than would of the Neolithic, may also gain credibility or be possiblethrough the written or spokenword alone. otherwisefrom reconstructions(e.g. Parker Pearson Their popularity is undoubted(Davison 1991). 1ee3). The interactiveprocess between archaeologist The third way in which reconstructionsform andillustrator, or increasinglythe computeroperator, part of the archaeologicalresearch method is the performsthree important purposesin the archaeo- (re)introductionof people into the past. This logical researchmethod. 'bringing back to life' of the past reminds the The first is that to create a landscape,site or professionalsthat archaeologyis aboutstudying past scenea large number of issuesmay be resolved, peoplewithin their environment.Past people may ranging from climate, the vegetationand fauna not always have followed modern conceptsof surroundingthe archaeologicalsite, to details of rationality and common sense,and our modern clothing, hair and body adornmentof the people biasescan be exposedthrough reconstructions.In shownin the reconstruction.Especially where whole preparationof this paper,I found my own bias landscapesare reconstructed, for examplein the form embarrassinglyexposed: in five reconstructions of a bird's eyeview, the needfor closeintegration of produced for the monographs in i the Humber siteand environmentand appreciationfor contemp- WetlandsProject, not a singlewomen is to be seen! oraneity, results in a range of queries from the The reconstructingof wetland landscapes,as illustrator.These questions will rapidly reveal any opposedto drylands, offers both advantagesand

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r64 Vctnde l,loort

Figure I: TheHumber wetlands, with the location of Brigg in the Ancholmevalley (l) and Melton on the Humber foreshore (2) indicated. disadvantages.Research on wetlandsproduces a The Humber wetlands broadrange of information on organicarchaeological The Humber WetlandsProject was one of four large- remains,including details of the context and scalewetland surveysfunded by English Heritage, environmentof archaeologicalactivity. However, or its predecessorwithin the Departmentof the wetlandsare also naturally transientin characterand Environment, since 1973. The basis for this the coexistenceof sitesand monuments can be more programme of wetland surveys was the often problematicthan on the drylands,where the presence extraordinary pre s ervation o f organicarchaeo lo gical and importanceof the accumulationof monuments and paiaeoenvironmentalremains within the anoxic over time is increasinglyinvoked as explaining past waterloggedground, and the extensivethreats to this behaviour(e.g. Tilly 1994,Barrett 1994,Edmonds resourcein the form of drainage,land-reclamation, reee). peat wastageand extraction,erosion and industrial In this paper,the reconstruction of two wetland and urban development(Coles 1984,Coles 1995, landscapesis discussed.The work was undertaken Colesand Coles 1996) in two areasresearched by the Humber Wetlands The Humber wetlands comprise a range of Projectin the 1990s.Both areaswere found to exhibit different wetland landscapeswithin the lowlands of a particularly high density of archaeologicalsites the Humber basinand embracesome 330,000 ha of datingto theBronze Age: the landscapearound Brigg land in Yorkshire, and Nottingham- in the Ancholme valley (Chapmanet al. 1998)and shire. The Humber WetlandsProject startedtn 1992 the Humber foreshoreat Melton in the Vale of York with the productionof a desk-basedassessment of (Fletcheret al.1999) (Figure1). Below, the Humber the area(Van de Noort and Davies 1993) and was wetlands will be introduced, including a summary followed by a seriesof annualprograrnmes of field discussionof the researchmethodology. This is survey.Each programmewas directed towards one followedby a presentationof the archaeologicaland or two of the physiographicalregions of theHumber palaeoenvironmentairecords of the two landscapes wetlands, and included the fieldwork, analysisof and a discussionof the processthat resultedin the data, and production of reports (Van de Noort and reconstructions. Ett6 1995). Reconstructing Past lVetland Landscapes 165

The researchin the Hr"rmberwetlands involved sands,silts, clay and peat accumulatedin the an integratedteam of archaeologistsand palaeo- palaeochannelof the Ancholme(Neumann 1998). environmentalistsbased at the University of Hull, Drainage works in the Ancholme valley are supportedby specialiststaff from EnglishHeritage's documentedby the later 13thcentury, but the cutting Ancient Monuments Laboratory for dating, geo- of the New Anchoime and the constructionof the physical survey and palynology.The researchwas first tidal sluice at South Feniby on the Humber systematicbut selective,meaning that within each estuarydate to 17thcentury (Straw 1955).However, physiographicregion a number of areasmeasuring it was not until the introductionof pumps that could 4 x 5 km were selectedfor detailedanalysis. This overcomethe limitations of gravity drainagethat the researchincluded field walking, transectcoring of Ancholme Levels were effectively drained.In the wetlands, litho-, bio- and chronostratigraphic 20th century, the Ancholme Levels have been analysisof selectedsediments, geophyiscal survey transformed into an arable-dominatedlandscape, and excavationof selectedarchaeological sites, aerial with under-field drains omnipresent(Van de Noort photographicanalysis and reassessment of previous and Ellis 1998).The Anchoime Levels are up to 'bridge'), researchand archaeological finds (e.g.Dinntn 1997, 8 km wide but at Brigg (Danishfor halfivay Van de Noort and Fenwick 1991).The monograph down the valley, there is a natural constrictionof the seriespresenting the results of the survey is now floodplain to just c. 500 m wide. Researchand complete(Van de Noort andEllis 1995;l99l;1998; discoveriespreceding the HumberWetlands Project 1999;2000a;Ellis et a|.2001). in and around Brigg had produced three important 'raft' For the cover of each monograph,a recon- archaeologicaldiscoveries: the Bngg ,the Brigg struction was commissionedfrom Les Turner)a logboat, and a substantialtrackway. painter and illustrator with extensivearchaeological The Brigg'raft' was found during digging for experience.The criteria for each of the scenes clay for usein the Brigg Brickyard (Figure2). After includedthe integrationof archaeologicalsites within its original exposure(Thropp 1887),the craft was 'typicai' the wider environment,the presenceof excavatedin 190118by the Rev. Alfred Hunt, who wetiand remains such as trackways,the opportunity arguedthat the structurewas a Viking raft or pontoon it providedto depictpast people and the importance bridge. The structurewas re-examinedby McGrail 'story' of the told within the regional work. After (1981),who foundthat it comprisesfive oakplanks 'close up' sfudiesof the late Neolithic trackwayat sewn togetherand embracingthe systemof cleats West Furzein Holderness(Van de Noort 1995)and with transversetimbers that provides strength and the building of the Roman road at Scaftworthin the stiffnessto the hull, alsoknown from the sewn-plank HumberheadLeveis (Van de Noort et a\.1997),two boatsfrom North Feniby andKilnsea in the Humber bird's eye views were com-missionedin the wetlands,and from Goldcliff and Caldicot on the subsequentstudies of the Ancholmevalley (Vande SevernEstuary Levels (Wright 1990,Van de Noort Noort and Ellis 1998)and the Vale of York (Vande et al. 1999,McGrail 1981,1990, Bell 1993).The Noort andEllis 1999). craft hasbeen radiocarbon dated to 820-790calBC, and it is thoughtto havebeen a flat-bottomedboat qnly capable of ferrying the River Ancholme Archaeological background and research (McGrail 1981).Palaeoenvironmental research The Ancholme valley includingpalynology, plant macrofossil, diatom and insectanalysis forming part of the Brigg excavation, The River Ancholme in northern Lincolnshire has determinedthat at Brigg, alderwas the dominanttree its sourcenear West Frisby in the low hills between on the higher groundswithin the valley at the time 'raft', the JurassicLincoln Edge to the west and the of the useof the Brigg andthat the periodjust CretaceousLincolnshire Wolds to the east.At beforec. 1000cal BC, marinetransgression created Bishopbridge,it meetsthe River Raseand alongthe a wetter environment,with reedswampsreplacing c.40 km beforeit drainsinto the Humber,the River the alder caffsthat had dominatedthe floodplain (see Ancholmedrops only 4 m. During theHolocene, the the specialistcontributions by A.G. Smith, river initially incisedinto drift geology,but from c. E.A.Brown,C.A.Green, G.C. Hillman, R. Rossand 6500cal BC, a wide floodplainwas createdas a direct P.C.Buckland in McGrail 1981). result of impeded run-off of freshwaterand marine The Brigg logboatwas alsodiscovered during transgression,forming the Ancholme Levels. clay diggingand excavated in 1886.It did not survive Alluvial sedimentsvary in depth. with uo to 9 m of the 1943 bombardmentof Hull. where it had been r66 Vande Noort

Figure2: TheBrigg logboat,as depictedin IBBB. displayed,but it hasbeen described as a 14.8m long Without theseactivities, few if any of the wetland and 1.5m wide singlelog of oak (Atkinson1887). finds would havebeen discovered. An early radiocarbondate from a surviving fragment The survey of the Humber WetlandsProject of the boat datesthe craft to the BronzeAge (1260- provideda contextfor theseearly discoveries.The 800cal BC,2184+100BP, Q-78), but asthe sample AncholmeLevels are accessibleto field walking, location is not known, this date may be too old with c. l5o/oof the land under arable(Middleton (McGrail 1981).The nearbytrackway was first 1998).The alluvialsediments mask large extents of exposedin 1884,,and consists of oakplanks laid side the prehistoriclandscape and without an extensive by side transverselyacross the trackway (Wylie coring programme,it would have been impossible 1884,Atkinson 1887),and photographs taken from to gain an understandingof the extentand natureof the exposureof parts of this corduroy road in the thisburied landscape. Fieldwalking, analysis of aerial 1940sshow that stakesthrough mortised holes held photographsand the occasionalgeophysical survey the planks in place.This very substantialstructure were most successfulon the wetland marginsand hasbeen dated to the later BronzeAge or Iron Age, the areassurrounding the wetlands. Here, ploughing again by a single and early radiocarbondetermin- had brought archaeologicalmaterial to the surface, ation(950-350 cal BC, 2552+120 BP, Q-77; McGrail or crop markswere identifiable.In all, twelve sites re81). or extensivefind scatterswere found, including eight Additional archaeologicalfinds from the region containingmaterial datedto the Bronze Age (also that predatethe recentsurvey include an extensive describedin Chapmanet al. 1998).On thewest bank collection of material ranging in date from the of the Ancholmevalley, seven locations for Bronze Mesolithicto thepost-medieval period (summarised Age activity were identified,and on the eastbank, a in Chapmanet al. 1998).Evidently, the constriction small barrow cemeterywas transcribedfrom aerial at Brigg had been the focus of much activity photographcollections (Chapman 1998). Only one throughout the past. The majority of finds were flint scatterincluding Bronze Age materialwas found 'intrusive' discoveredduring activities,including the from alluvial sediments,presumably from a former diggingof clay for the localbrickworks, digging and island on the Ancholme Levels that is now partly cleaningof ditchesand the construction ofbuildings. being ploughedup. f

ReconstructingPast WetlctndLanclscapes 167

The coring slrrveyinvolved a totalof 25 cores Before c. AD I 100, the Hr_rmberestuarv was in two transectsacross pollen, the Ancholmevalley. largely unconfinedand the rivers, mires and the diatom and radiocarbon anaiyseswere undertaken estuaryformed a seriesof endlesswetlands. From on selectedsamples, providing an understandingof the early 12thcenfury onwards, however, the Humber the time-transgressive nature of wetland develop_ and its tributarieswere increasinglyembanked, and ment at Brigg. Detailed analysiswas publishedby the reclaimedland used fbr agriculture(Sheppard Heike Neumann(1998), and is summarisedbelow. \966). Locaiiy, for examplein the Swinefleetand Wetland development outsidethe confines of the Whitgift area,parts of the old banks survive,with river channelwas instigatedby sea-levelrise and the strip fields dating back to the 14th cenfury, aS marine transgression into the Ancholme valley. shownon the Inclesmoormap (Beresford1986). The Overlying the marine sandsis a peat,dated to 3990_ confinement of the estuary and the increased.run- 3630 cal BC (4990+15 BP, OxA-il,3j), signaling off of rainfall from the catchmentthrough extensive an onsetof wetland developmentin the floodplain. systemsof under-field drainage,drains and canals This eutrophicwetland was,as palynology indicates, has resultedin an increasedtidal range,now dominatedby a alder-hazel carr,with reedsfringing estimatedat 7.2 m at Hull. This is responsiblefor the courseof the Old Ancholme,and grassesmore increasedand accelerating erosion (Van de Noort and prevalenttowards the pollen highergrounds. analysis Ellis 2000b),and whilst this provideson good days on samplesfrom one of theshallowest cores provided exce lient opporfLrnities for identifring archaeolo gic al evidencefor forest clearanceor disturbance,dated remains,it also causesconsiderable damage to the to 2580-2330cal BC (3940*45 Bp, OxA-7091).or abundantarchaeologicai sites on the foreshore.This the early Bronze Age, some 700 yearsearlier than threatis nowheremore evidentthan at Melton, on had been previously determined(preece and the north bank of the Humber to the west of the Robinson1984). Diatom anaiysisshows that in the YorkshireWolds. middle or iaterpart of the first millenniumBC, new Previousresearch in the Humber estuary marinetransgressions overtoppedthe floodplain includesthe discoveryof the Ferribyboats, from the vegetation,refurning much of thevalley to estuarine foreshoreat North Feniby c.2kmeast of theMelton mudflats, saltmarshand reedswampconditions. foreshore.These Bronze Age craftwere sewn-plank In short, around 'raft'. 1000 cal BC, marine trans_ boats,similar to the Brigg The Ferribyboats, gressionsextended the mudflats, saltmarshesand however,are considerably earlier, dating to theearly reedswamps on the AncholmeLevels. At Brigg, the secondMillennium BC (Wright et al. forthcomi.rg). macrofossilevidence suggestsextensive reed_ The site itself is consideredto be a boat yard; the swampswith stands of alder surviving on slightly remainsof Feniby 3 were found dismantledon top raised grounds within the Levels. The wetland of a seriesof alderroundwoodpoles,as if thesewere marginshad been largely clearedof woodland,and to be assembledor usedin a repair(Wright 1990). in view of the absenceof any direct evidencefor From the Melton foreshoreitself, the presence arablelanduse, pastoral activity dominated.Further of archaeologicalwood hadbeen established before, afield, pollen evidence indicatesthat woodland althoughno excavationsof any structureshad taken survivedon the highergrounds of the Lincoln Edse place(Crowther 1987). The areais inhospitable,at and the Lincolnshire Woids. the end of an industrial estate and the runway of British Aerospaceat Brough, and with a near- permanentarea of 'slop' The Humber estuarv making accessto the prehistoriclandscape unappealing. Approaching this The River Humber commencesat the confluenceof landscapefrom the water is considerablyeasier, and the Rivers Ouseand Trentat TrentFalls in the west, in a few dayssurveying the foreshore,32sites were and flows into the North Seabetween Spurn point recorded,neariy ail ofwood andmostly ofprehistoric and Donna Hook, to the east.In its currentform, the date(Fletcher et al. 1999).The sitesincluded stake estuary includes about 30,000 ha of water, sand- alignments,several trackways, platforms, isoiated banks,mudflats, some islands and an everdecreasing stakesand a possiblefishtrap. amount of saltmarsh,and so resemblesthe Severn Two hurdle trackways were partly excavated estuaryin its appearanceand dynamics,ifnot in size. (Figure3). Both trackwayswere found in saltmarsh Through its many tributaries, including the Rivers sedimentsand were relatively short, one measriring Ancholme and Hull, aboutZ0% of the landmassof c. 12 m, whilst the otheris believedto be iessthan is drainedthroush the Humber. 10 m in length.The way that the trackwaysdipped, =.--._r_

168 Van de tYoor'l

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Figure 3: Theplan of oneof thehurdle tracks at Melton,dated to c. 1400 cal BC. Illustration bv l4tittiamFletcher (aJierFletcher et al. 1999). andwere held in placeby long stakes(Fletcher et al. calBC; 2810+50BP, GU-57LD. 1999),indicate that they crossedtidal creeksrather The wider environmentalcontext of the than the flat saltmarshes.Palaeoenvironmental trackwaysat Melton canbe ascertainedfrom recent researchon the Meiton foreshorewas limited, but researchby the Land Oceanlnteraction Study (LOIS) showeda deepminerogenic sediment indicative of project into the environmentalhistory of the Humber saltmarshenvironment overlying a thin basalpeat, estuary.The publishedpalaeogeographical'time- with further thin bands of peat similar to those slices'of theHumber estuary in theHoiocene, shows 'eutrophic' recordedon the North Ferriby foreshoreindicating the developmentof wetlandsalongside thepresence ofpalaeo-creeks (Buckland et al. 1990). the Humber and its tributariesfrom c. 8000 cal BC, The fact that the trackways mn parallel with the and the earliestestuarine activity in the region of estuary,rather than linking the dryland with the Melton is datedto c. 5000 cal BC (Metcalfe et al. waterfront,indicates that thesewere constructedto 2000). That study's concernfor the consistencyof enableaccess to areasof saitmarshacross the tidal the samplesused for reconstructingthe relativesea- creeks,in this casethe predecessorof WestClough, levei curve,that is usingbase of basalpeat samples, a tidal creek recordedon 19th century maps. The has resulted in a reconstructionof the Humber recentfind of cattlebones in similar depositson the wetlandsthat involved predominantlyrelative sea- foreshore,offers tentative evidence that the saltmarsh level rise and marine transgressions(Shennan and wasused as pasture. Within the lifetime of the farmer, Andrews 2000). Consequently,the palaeogeo- Mr. Holtby of North Ferriby, saitmarshesin the graphicalmaps show a continuedextension of the Humber estuary were frequently used as feeding intertidal mudflats and saltmarshesat the expense groundsfor cattle(Van de Noort andFletcher 2000). of the eutrophicwetlands from 5000to 1000cal BC The excavatedtrackways were datedto the Middle (Metcalfeet al.2000). Previousstudies, however, BronzeAge 1530-1310cal BC (3150+50Bp, GU- have suggesteda more dynamic reconstructedcurve 5165 and 5768) and to the middle or later Bronze of regional sea-levelchange, which includes Age (two datesthat are statisticallydifferent: 1420- significant periods of marine transgressionand lI20 calBC: 3030+50BP, GU-5710 and 1100-840 regressionduring the middle and later parts of the T

Reconstructing Past tV'et/andLanclscapes r69

BronzeAge (e.g.Gaunt and Tooley 1974,Dinnin elsewhere(Davey \913), but this occasionaland andLillie 1995).Work on the dateand height of the exceptionalactivity hasnot beenincorporated in the peat exposuresin the Humber estuaryshows that reconstructiondrawing. the sedimentsequence varies considerablylrom In terms of the nafural landscape,we know placeto place(cf. Long eta|.1998, Lillie andGearey from transectcoring that the River Ancholmewas a f999). This could be explainedeither in termsof a single-channelriver. As discussedearlier, pollen horizontal accumulationof sedimentsreflecting anaiysishas shownthat the earliestforest clearance consecutivephases of marine trangressionand in the Ancholme vailey datedto the early Bronze regressions,or a mosaic landscapecomprising Age and by ,. 1000cal BC theseclearances were saltmarsheswith incisingand aggradingtidal creeks extensive,although higher groundsstill maintained andwith isolatedeutrophic wetland areas above the extensivewoodlands (Preece and Robinson1984; high-tide levels reflecting the dynamic nature of Neumann1998). Palynology has also shown that at regional sea-level.Current researchon high- Brigg, alder was the dominant tree on the higher resolutionmodeitng of wetlanddevelopment in the groundswithin the valley (McGraii 1981).Around Humberwetlands suggests that the latteris themore c. 1000cal BC, marinetransgression created a wetter likely scenario. environment,with reedswampsreplacing the alder carrs(McGrail 1981). The production of the reconstruction Severalquestions were impossibleto answer. For example,bone survival in these wetland drawings conditionsis poor, and without a bone assemblage, Both case-studiespresented here were undertaken it remains unclear what animals were kept and by essentiallythe same group of people,with a hunted.In this case,we assumethat the wetlands comparableresearch agenda and remit. Nevertheiess, derived their greatestimportance to Bronze Age the two reconstructiondrawings shown here are the peopleas grazing land for sheep,following the recent resultof two differentmethods of research,adopted argumentsput forward by Pryor (1996) for the to suit the individual landscapes. Fengatearea in the EastAnglian Fens.We alsohave no evidencefor the type of clothing that was worn The Ancholme by people; this matter was avoided by presenting valley 'birds-eye the reconstructiondrawing as a view'. The reconstructionof the Ancholmevailey, looking The productionof the reconstructiondrawing southover the constrictionat Brigg (Figure4), has highlights the main gapsin our knowledge.The most beenset at c. 1000 cal BC. The productionof this important of theseis the matter of coexistenceof drawing involved the integrationof datafrom various features,activities and vegetation. None of the dating sources,including the antiquarianaccounts, the more techniques,including dendrochronology,radio- 'raft', recent excavationsreport of the Brigg rn carbon dating, or dating of objectsby 'cultural' particular the detailed palaeoenvironmentalwork association,provides a resoiutionto inform whether associatedwith the excavationrather than the siightly the landscapewas, at anygiven moment around 'raf 1000 younger itself (McGrail 1990),and the results cai BC, that empfy, or indeedthat full. The other of our own work (Vande Noort andEllis 1998).How gap in our knowledgecomprises the archaeological much of the contentof this drawing did we know, remains and the human activity that has not been 'artistic andhow much was license'? recorded.This includesremains buried beneaththe In terms of archaeologicalremains, the aliuvium and peat, and featuresthat have been trackway and evidenceof at leastone logboathave destroyedin the pastwithout recording. been recorded,albeit their coexistenceat around Few eutrophicwetlands survive in the Humber i000 cal BC cannotbe proven.No archaeological lowlandsand certaincharacteristic elements of this evidenceexist for the roundhouses, but theextensive type of wetland,for examplestands of alderand hazel scattersof BronzeAge materiaifound heresuggest trees,are completely absent in the modernlandscape. some sort of settlement.No evidencefor fieid In preparationof theproduction of the reconstruction systemsdated to the BronzeAge exist in the Humber drawing, photographsfrom wetlands in Wales and wetlands,and this negativeevidence is usedin the of the SomersetLevels were taken to be used as drawing.Votive depositionsof bronzeweapons did modern analogiesof the Bronze Age landscapein takeplace in theAncholme valley, both at Brigg and the Ancholme valley. 110 Vctnde Noort

Figure 4: Reconstructionof the Ancholmevalley at Brigg around 1000 cal BC. Illustration by Les Turner. @ Humber Wetlands Project, UniversiQ of Hull.

'temporality' The Humber estuary foreshoreis very high, the or life span Theproduction of the reconstructiondrawing of the of the individual structuresis thought to be very Humber estuary at Melton, looking southwest limited; the quality of preservationand absenceof towardsthe Lincoln Edge(Figure 5), hasbeen set at any damageto the trackways indicates that the c. 1400cal BC. The productionofthe reconstruction hurdleswere buried beneathestuarine alluvium soon drawing of the Humber foreshoreat Melton involved after they had been placed on the foreshore.The the integrationof datafrom limited sources,mainly small trackwayis shownas enabling access across a the resultsof our own work (Vande Noorl andEllis tidal creek,reflecting the angleof the surfaceof the 1999),with the resultsof theLOIS projectproviding hurdle and the long stakesused to hold it in place. insight on the palaeoenvironment(Shennan and The hurdleswere made from coppicedor managed Andrews 2000). How much of the contentof this hazel and alder, oak and poplar/willow. They were ,artistic drawing did we know, and how much was undoubtedlymanufactured on the dryiand beforethe license'? finished productswas brought onto the foreshore, In termsof archaeology,the only featureshown andno treesare visible in the reconstructiondrawing. in the drawing is one of the trackways(Fletch er et The useof the saltmarshas feeding ground for cattle al. 1999'). Although the site-densityon the Melton is basedon the find of cattlebones nearby. and recent Reconstrttcting P ast LVetlandLands c apes 171

Figure 5: ReconstructionoJ' the Humber foreshore at Melton around 1400cal BC. Illustration by Les Turner . @ Humber Wetlands Project, (Jniversitvof Httll. historicalanalogy (see above). Whether or not cattle We do not know for sure whether cattle grazed on actuallyused the trackwayor whetherit provideda the foreshoreor not; this remainsa hypothesis.If securefooting for the peoplehandling cattle across the hypothesisis correct,questions regarding the size the creeksis not known, andtherefore not iilustrated. of the herd cannotbe answered.This is potentially It was not determinedwhether the use of saltmarsh one of the most interestingaspects of the innovative as feedingground for cattlewas seasonalor not. exploitationof foreshoresand its impacton the socio- In terms of the natural environment, the politicai and economicaspects of society must reconstructiondrawing shows the Humberas a wide thereforeremain unanswered.As was the casefor single-channeledestuary, fringed by mudflats and the Ancholme valley, the temporality,or coexistenqe saltmarshintersected by tidal creeks,as the recent of sites, activities and vegetationon the Humber models from the LOIS programmeshow (Shennan foreshorecould not be estabiished. and Andrews 2000). In the foregroundis higher Possibly the most interesting gap in our ground, dominatedby grasses;in contrastto the knowledge is the actual characterof the Humber Severn estuaryno evidencefor raisedmires are estuary.It is currently perceivedas a 'dynamic recordedfor this area(cf. Beil er a\.2000). environment', where specific areas are eroding Severalquestions were impossibleto answer. rapidly whilst otherareas received large amounts of --r

t]2 Von tle 'Yoot't sediments.However, the Humber as a unconfined conveythe rmpressionof impromptusolutions to estuarymay have beenless erosive than it is today, landmanagement issues in a dynamicenvironment. andpast peoples' perceptionof theestuary may have The imporlanceof reconstructionsand recon_ beenvery differedfrom its presentone. Research on struction drawings in disseminatingthe resultsof the Humber estuaryhas not providedthe resolution researchshould not be undervalued.After all, to addressthis issue. wetland archaeoiogyis rarely visible to the wider public and during excavationsof wetland sitesthe Conclusions contemporarycontext no longer survives.It is especiallyimportant to conveya messagethat is the The reconstructionof archaeologicalwetland resultof extensivemultidisciplinary research and landscapesforms an important part of the research to provide the opportunity for pufting peopleback in method in wetland archaeology.Two examplesof the wetlands. Reconstructionsof the natural the productionof reconstructiondrawings from the environmentare also significant. Most peopieliving Humberwetlands, the diverseeutrophic wetland of today in the Humber wetlands will need to the Anchoime valley at Brigg, and the estuarine visit managednature reserves,for example Skipwith foreshoreof the Humber at Melton, provide an Common,to view illustrationof this. a eutrophicwetland. To archaeo_ logists,the disappearanceof the wetlands The production of reconstructiondrawings not only deprivesus of an understanding involveda constantdialogue between the illustrator of wetlandsas living landscapesbut alsoof the and the membersof the archaeologicalteam, and sourcematerial, archaeo- betweenthe archaeologistsand palaeoenvironmental logical andpalaeoenvironmental,that forms the basis of specialists.Certain aspectsof the information much of our work. As providedin the reconstructiondrawing are the result most archaeologists,I recognizethat the reconstruction of specificquestions asked, for examplewhether or drawingshave their drawbacks,in that not cattlewiii crosscreeks using hurdle trackways, they tend to becomeused as evidencein their own right, without or whethersites dated by flint artefactscan be said considerationof evidenceor lack thereof to be contemporaryto radiocarbondated pollen in the archaeologicairecord. In discussions with the artist, 'blur' samples.The dialoguewas parlicularlyimportant for Les Tumer,the ideato partsof the painting the reconstructionof the natural landscapes.In for which little or no evidenceexisted was raised. the Humber wetlands, drainage, farming and Forestier,in his famousreconstruction drawings deveiopmenthave destroyedvirtually all natural of the GlastonburyLake Viilage, expressed no wetlandlandscapes, and only the Humberforeshore such concern and aspectsof contemporaneity, activity, provides something of its former glory, albeit clothing,bodily adornmentsand the length constrainedby concreteembankments. photographs and sfyle of hair are all shown in detail,despite the absence of wetlandsused for the reconstructiondrawing of of archaeologicalevidence. Nevertheless, the ability theAncholme valley, with examplesof alderstands, of imagesof the past' to raisethe profile weretaken in the SomersetLevels. of archaeologicalresearch and to disseminate information The reconstructiondrawings also function as to the wider public was as importantin experimentalarchaeology by proxy. Where this the 1910s,as it is today. involvesconstructs, their proposedfunction can be, to a degree,validated or otherwise.The trackways Acknowledgments offer examplesof this. The Brigg trackway would The reconstructiondrawings presentedhere were have jetty, either been a providing accessto the paintedby Les Turner.English Heritagefunded the waterfront from where the River Ancholme could HumberWetlands Project team, which inciudedfrom be crossed, or would have incorporateda bridge 1992to 2000:Paul Davies, Mark Dinnin, RuthHead, acrossthe sluggish water of the Ancholme. Helen Fenwick, Malcolm Lillie, Henry Chapman, Considering the large size and method of con- HeikeNeumann, William Fletcher,Benjamin Gearey struction,the latter option was chosenas the most and Gavin Thomas.All these,and the many others likely scenario.In the Humber, however, the re- who have contributed to the Humber Wetlands fabricatedhurdles used to constructthe trackways project are gratefully acknowledged. IleconstrtLcting Past LVetlandLandscapes t73

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