Durham E-Theses

Durham E-Theses An experiential and comparative analysis of the landscapes of movement and visibility at ve Late Iron Age earthwork complexes in Britain BITHELL, SAMUEL,THOMAS How to cite: BITHELL, SAMUEL,THOMAS (2020) An experiential and comparative analysis of the landscapes of movement and visibility at ve Late Iron Age earthwork complexes in Britain, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/13691/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 An experiential and comparative analysis of the landscapes of movement and visibility at five Late Iron Age earthwork complexes in Britain By Samuel Thomas Bithell Abstract: In recent decades, the territorial oppida of Late Iron Age Britain have begun to be assessed more as landscape constructs than individual sites. In addition, studies of other contemporary complexes frequently excluded from the classification of oppida have revealed remarkable similarities with the traditionally defined territorial oppida. Terminological debates about classification of oppida have often led to these landscapes evading study and comparison. This thesis therefore looks to compare the landscapes of both traditionally defined oppida (Bagendon, Stanwick and Silchester) and two complexes identified by Corney (1989) as Multiple Ditch Systems (Gussage Cow-Down and the Nadder- Wylye Ridge) without a focus on terminological issues. The focus on studying both oppida and similar earthwork complexes as landscapes has also led to ideas about the way in which such monuments divided up the landscape and may have controlled the experience of movement. To this end, the least cost and viewshed analysis presented in this thesis characterises the landscapes of movement and visibility at each of the five complexes. The results are compared through an experiential lens and through the use of phenomenology and the concept of affordances. In this way the terminological debates about characterisation of oppida are bypassed and the sites compared purely on their similarities, rather than previous classifications. The results of the analysis show that each of the complexes make intimate use of their topographical settings, and the arrangement of earthworks and foci in order to control the experience of movement. Additionally, the location of each complex is shown to be, at least partially, a by-product of regional scale routeways which in turn have affected the local scale layout of the complexes. i An experiential and comparative analysis of the landscapes of movement and visibility at five Late Iron Age earthwork complexes in Britain Samuel Thomas Bithell Master of Arts (By Thesis) Department of Archaeology Durham University 2020 ii Table of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction and Research Questions ................................................................................. 1 1.1. Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Research Questions ...................................................................................................................... 4 Research Question 1 ....................................................................................................................... 4 Research Question 2 ....................................................................................................................... 4 Research Question 3 ....................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 2 – Literature Review: The Terminology, Character and Environs of Late Iron Age Earthwork Complexes ............................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 6 2.2. Terminology ................................................................................................................................. 6 2.3. The Nature of Landscape-scale Earthwork Complexes .............................................................. 10 2.3.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 10 2.3.2. Polyfocal Complexes ........................................................................................................... 11 2.3.3. Trade, Imports and Coinage ................................................................................................ 12 2.3.4. Landscape Heritage and Ritual ........................................................................................... 14 2.3.5. Urbanism ............................................................................................................................. 17 2.3.6. Choreographed Landscapes ................................................................................................ 18 2.4. Wider Landscape ........................................................................................................................ 21 2.4.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 21 2.4.2. Settlement Patterns ............................................................................................................ 22 2.4.3. Hillforts and Enclosed Oppida ............................................................................................. 24 2.6. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 26 Chapter 3 – Case Studies: The Research and Landscape Context ........................................................ 28 3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 29 3.2. Research Context ....................................................................................................................... 29 3.2.1. Bagendon ............................................................................................................................ 29 3.2.1.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 29 3.2.1.2. The Present Day ............................................................................................................... 29 3.2.1.3. Palaeoenvironment ......................................................................................................... 32 3.2.1.4. Research Context ............................................................................................................. 34 3.2.2. Gussage Cow-Down ............................................................................................................ 37 3.2.2.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 37 3.2.2.2. The Present Day ............................................................................................................... 37 3.2.2.3. Palaeoenvironment ......................................................................................................... 39 3.2.2.4. Research Context ............................................................................................................. 41 3.2.3. The Nadder-Wylye Ridge .................................................................................................... 45 3.2.3.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 45 3.2.3.2. The Present Day ............................................................................................................... 45 3.2.3.3. Palaeoenvironment ......................................................................................................... 47 3.2.3.4. Research Context ............................................................................................................. 48 iii 3.2.4. Stanwick .............................................................................................................................. 54 3.2.4.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 54 3.2.4.2. The Present Day ............................................................................................................... 54 3.2.4.3. Palaeoenvironment ......................................................................................................... 57 3.2.4.4. Research

Load more