Durham E-Theses An archaeology of trade in eastern england,c.650-900 CE Naylor, John David How to cite: Naylor, John David (2002) An archaeology of trade in eastern england,c.650-900 CE, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4219/ 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 Ail Archaeology of Trade in Eastern England, c.650-900 CE John David Naylor A Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 1 4 APR 2QQ3 University of Durham Department of Archaeology 2002 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Abstract The project was an examination of trade through the regional survey and analysis of archaeological data from middle Saxon England. Much previous work had focused towards long-distance trade articulated through urban ports, and the thesis aimed to provide new methods for the study of the early medieval economy by placing these urban settlements within a regional setting. It examined trade within regions as a whole, rather than concentrating only on the archaeologically most visible, i.e. long-distance trade. A comparative, study area approach was adopted for analysis, with two regions (Kent and Yorkshire) chosen. Methodology was based on both detailed analysis of artefact distributions throughout the middle Saxon period, and comparative examination of individual site assemblages. As a result, networks of trade, and the movement of goods could be assessed, and individual sites placed within this context. Specific artefact groups were chosen which highlighted different aspects of trade (coinage, pottery, stone artefacts, and metalwork), and other materials, both archaeological and historical, were utilised wherever possible. Both study areas were also discussed in the context of middle Saxon eastern England, in order to provide a broader interpretation of early medieval trade. These analyses showed that the early medieval economy was more complex than has been previously proposed, with distinct regional variations apparent. A number of sites were interpreted as inland markets, their positions suggestive of an overall political control of trade, and most coin rich sites were located close enough to the coast to easily gain direct access to long-distance coastal trade. The church may have been heavily involved. Much trade appears to have been centred around the movement of utilitarian goods, including stone, foodstuffs, salt and slaves, and royal interest in the regulation of trade focused on the large revenues available through tolls. u Table of Contents Table of Contents ii List of Tables vii List of Figures viii List of Abbreviations xi Declaration xii Statement of Copyright xiii Acknowledgements xiv Chapter One: Introduction 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Aims and objectives of the thesis 1 1.3 Structure of the thesis 3 1.4 Summary 4 Chapter Two: The Archaeology of Trade: a contextual basis for analysis 5 2.1 Introduction 5 2.2 Theoretical background to the study of exchange, and urbanism, c. 600-900 5 2.2.1 Trade and exchange around the North Sea littoral, c.600- 900 6 2.2.1.1 Pre-c.1955 6 2.2.1.2 C.1955-C1970 8 2.2.1.3 C.1970-C.1985 14 2.2.1.4 c.l985-present 24 2.3 Discussion 34 Chapter Three: Methodological Background: archaeological evidence and the materials of study 37 3.1 Introduction 37 3.2 The study areas 37 3.3 Materials of study- selection, methods and analysis 40 3.3.1 Selection of artefacts 40 3.3.1.1 Coinage 41 3.3.1.2 Pottery 42 3.3.1.3 Stone objects 44 3.3.1.4 Metals and metalwork 45 3.3.1.5 Significant rejected groups 46 3.3.1.6 Documentary sources 47 3.3.1.7 Summary/ conclusion 48 iii 3.3.2 Recovery methods: the problems of metal-detected finds 48 3.3.3 Methods of analysis 50 3.3.3.1 Distribution analysis 50 3.3.3.2 Other analyses 50 3.3.3.2.1 Access to international trade 51 3.3.3.2.2 The regional circulation of coinage 51 3.3.3.2.3 Other analyses 53 3.4 Summary/conclusion 54 Chapter Four: Area 1: Yorkshire 55 4.1 Introduction 55 4.1.1 Introduction to Area 1: geology and topography 55 4.1.1.1 Sub-region 1: The Vale of York 56 4.1.1.2 Sub-region 2: The Yorkshire Wolds 56 4.1.1.3 Sub-region 3: The Holderness Plain 56 4.1.1.4 Sub-region 4: The Vale of Pickering 57 4.1.1.5 Sub-region 5:The Howardian Hills and Hambleton Hills 57 4.1.1.6 Sub-region 6: The North Yorkshire Moors 57 4.1.1.7 Sub-region 7: The eastern Pennines 58 4.1.2 Area 1: the archaeology of the main sites 58 4.1.2.1 46-54 Fishergate, York (SE60655115) 59 4.1.2.2 Other sites in York 62 4.1.2.3 Lurk Lane, Beverley (TA03793919) 68 4.1.2.4 Cottam (SE975667) 70 4.1.2.5 Paddock Hill, Thwing (TA030707 72 4.1.2.6 South Newbald (SE8935) 74 4.1.2.7 West Heslerton 75 4.1.2.8 Wharram Percy (SE8564) 77 4.1.2.9 Whitby Abbey, Whitby (NZ90301120) 81 4.1.2.10 Caythorpe Gas Pipeline (TA122679-TA092653) 83 4.1.2.11 Summary/conclusion 84 4.2 Coinage 84 4.2.1 Introduction 84 4.2.2 Previous work 85 4.2.3 General distribution 86 4.2.3.1 Early gold issues (Tremissis/Thrymsas) to pale gold issues (C.600-C. 675/680) 86 4.2.3.2 Primary and early Intermediate phase sceattas (c.680-c.710) 87 4.2.3.3 Later Intermediate and non-regal Secondary phase sceattas (C.710-C.740) 89 4.2.3.4 Later eighth century issues (c.740-796) 91 4.2.3.5 Early to mid-ninth century issues (c.796-c.840) 93 4.2.3.6 Mid to later eighth century issues (c.840-c.900) 95 4.3.4 The circulation of coinage in Area 1 97 4.3.4.1 The regional circulation of coinage 97 4.3.4.2 The distribution of the most productive sites, and findspots of foreign coinage 99 4.3.4.3 Comparison of sites to the calculated regional mean in Area 1 100 iv 4.3.4.4 Discussion of the circulation of coinage in Area 1 106 4.2.5 Discussion of coinage in Area 1 108 4.3 Pottery 110 4.3.1 Introduction 110 4.3.2 Previous work 112 4.3.3 Distribution 112 4.3.3.1 Local wares 113 4.3.3.2 Wares from elsewhere in mainland Britain 115 4.3.3.3 Continental wares 117 4.3.4 Discussion 118 4.4 Stone artefacts 121 4.4.1 Introduction 121 4.4.2 Previous work in Area 1 121 4.4.3 Distribution 122 4.4.3.1 Stone provenanced within Area 1 123 4.4.3.2 Stone from elsewhere in Britain 126 4.4.3.3 Stone imported from Continental Europe 127 4.4.4 Discussion 128 4.5 Metalwork 132 4.5.1 Introduction 132 4.5.2 Previous work 132 4.5.3 Distribution 133 4.5.3.1 Distribution by metal type 133 4.5.3.2 Distribution by artefact type 134 4.5.4 Discussion 135 4.6 Summary/discussion: the archaeology of trade in Area 1 135 Chapter Five: Area 2: Kent 138 5.1 Introduction 138 5.1.1 Geology /geography of the study area 138 5.1.2 Area 2: the archaeology of the main sites 140 5.1.2.1 Dykeside Farm, West Hythe/ Sandtun (TR122339) 141 5.1.2.2 Minster-in-Sheppey(TQ9573 centred) 142 5.1.2.3 Church Whitfield cross-road (TR313458 centred) 143 5.1.2.4 Canterbury 144 5.1.2.4.1 Christ Church College (TR155579) 144 5.1.2.4.2 The Marlowe car park and surroundings 146 5.1.2.5 Conduit Meadow, St. Martin's Hill, Canterbury (TR171579) 148 5.2 Coinage 150 5.2.1 Introduction 150 5.2.2 Previous work. 150 5.2.3 General Distribution 153 5.2.3.1 Tremissis/Thrymsas (c.600-c. 675/680) 153 5.2.3.2 Primary and early Intermediate phase sceattas (c.680- c.710) 153 5.2.3.3 Later Intermediate and non-regal Secondary phase sceattas (c.710-c750) 157 5.2.3.4 Later eighth century issues (c.750-c.796) 160 V 5.2.3.5 Early-mid ninth century issues (c.796-c.840) 162 5.2.3.6 Later ninth century issues (c840-c.900) 164 5.2.4 The circulation of coinage in Area 2 166 5.2.4.1 The regional circulation of coinage on Area 2 166 5.2.4.2 Distribution of sites showing at least ten datable coin finds within the region 168 5.2.4.3 Comparison of sites to calculated regional mean in Area 2 169 5.2.4.4 Discussion 172 5.2.5 Discussion of coinage in Area 2 172 5.3 Pottery 174 5.3.1 Introduction 174 5.3.2 Previous work.