CARDIFF STUDIES IN ARCHAEOLOGY 34 EXCAVATIONS AT CAERAU HILLFORT, CARDIFF, SOUTH WALES, 2013 An Interim Report By O. Davis & N. Sharples CARDIFF STUDIES IN ARCHAEOLOGY SPECIALIST REPORT NUMBER 34 EXCAVATIONS AT CAERAU HILLFORT, CARDIFF, SOUTH WALES, 2013 Interim Report by O. Davis & N. Sharples with contributions by M. Allen & J. Jones CARDIFF STUDIES IN ARCHAEOLOGY SPECIALIST REPORT NUMBER 34 EXCAVATIONS AT CAERAU HILLFORT, CARDIFF, SOUTH WALES, 2013 National Primary Reference Number (NPRN) 94517 Cadw Scheduled Ancient Monument No. GM018 Cardiff Studies in Archaeology Specialist Report 34 © The authors 2014 Oliver Davis and Niall Sharples, ISBN 978-0-9568398-3-1 Published by the Department of Archaeology & Conservation School of History Archaeology and Religion Cardiff University, Humanities Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff, CF10 3EU Tel: +44 (0)29 208 74470 Fax: +44 (0)29 208 74929 Email: [email protected] All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission of the authors. Designed by Cardiff Archaeological Illustration and Design Software: Adobe Creative Suite 6 Design Premium Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Background 2 3. Previous Archaeological Work 6 4. Project Aims & Objectives 11 5. Excavation Methodology 14 6. Excavation Results 15 7. Finds 40 8. Palaeo - Environmental Summary 43 9. Summary 55 10. Community Impact 57 11. Bibliography 62 Appendix 1- Context Lists 65 Appendix 2 - Small Find List 73 Appendix 3 - Sample List 76 1. Introduction Excavations were undertaken from 24 June to 19 July The interior of the hillfort is privately owned and we are 2013 across the interior of Caerau Hillfort, Cardiff, very grateful to Mr Ralph David of Penylan Farm for directly over three of the evaluation trenches opened by permission to carry out the investigations. The wooded Time Team in April 2012. This work is intended to be boundary earthworks of the hillfort are owned by part of an initial proposed two-year programme to fully Cardiff Council and our thanks are extended to Nicola characterise the features identified by the Time Team Hutchinson and her colleagues at Cardiff Council Park survey and excavations (Wessex Archaeology 2013). It Services for allowing us to extend Trench 3 into this will also provide significant new information about the area. The hillfort is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and nature of Iron Age occupation and daily life within hillforts Scheduled Monument Consent was granted by Cadw and and establish an important chronological framework. In we are grateful to Jon Berry and his colleagues at Cadw addition, the investigation of Romano-British features for their continuing support. Funding for the excavations at Caerau, some of potential ‘invasion period’ date, as was provided by the Arts and Humanities Research well as Medieval features, will significantly add to our Council and Cardiff University. knowledge of these important periods in south-east Wales. This report summarises the results of the excavations and The project was directed by Dr Oliver Davis, Professor includes the stratigraphic sequences recorded in each of Niall Sharples and Dr David Wyatt of Cardiff University. the three trenches, and a discussion of the excavation’s The core project team consisted of 11 staff and 15 significance for understanding hillforts in south-east student archaeologists from Cardiff University. From Wales. The animal bone report was undertaken by Dr the outset the Caerau excavations have linked nationally Jennifer Jones, Cardiff University, but the other specialist significant research with a broad mission to engage finds and palaeo-environmental reports are currently with the public, particularly the local communities of in preparation and only brief summaries are provided Caerau and Ely. The engagement strategy this year was here. A selection of radiocarbon samples is currently to raise the public’s awareness of, and participation in, pending an application to NERC in August 2014. Mike local heritage and archaeological fieldwork, providing Allen, AEA, undertook the preliminary environmental educational opportunities and widening access to assessment of the soils and we are pleased to include a further education. The aim was to challenge stigmas and summary of his report in this interim. A summary of the unfounded stereotypes ascribed to this part of Cardiff. community engagement activities is also provided here. The excavation also provided an excellent opportunity We would like to thank Tim Young, Ian Dennis and Sue to involve 15 undergraduate students and numerous Virgo for their logistical support Dave Horton and all his volunteers in knowledge transfer and community colleagues at Action Caerau and Ely for their support and engagement activities that will provide them with encouragement. significant employability skills. 1 2. Background 2.1 Background of CAER Heritage Project whole area is a focus for a range of anti-social behaviour including casual fire raising, graffiti and demolition of Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the upstanding buildings. The CAER Heritage Project's the Caerau And Ely Rediscovering (CAER) Heritage research objective is to help the people of Caerau and Ely Project is a collaborative project begun in 2011 between take responsibility for the site by making it relevant to Cardiff University, Action in Caerau and Ely (a charity the present community; to provide a heritage asset for that runs the Community First Programme), local schools the locality and the region; and to use the excavations to and local residents. The project is based around one of provide educational and aspirational opportunities for the Cardiff’s most important, but little-known, archaeological local community. sites, Caerau Hillfort, and seeks to engage local people and school children in their shared history and challenge Building on existing partnerships and trust, local marginalisation. community members, schools and academic researchers have worked together to provide an interpretation of the Ely and Caerau are suburbs of Cardiff, Wales’ capital site that has not only enhanced research knowledge but city, and currently face significant social and economic has also informed an innovative experimental heritage problems (Cardiff Council 2007). Yet, before the advent reconstruction of Iron Age Life at St Fagans National of the Roman invasions in AD74, Caerau Hillfort was the History Museum just over a mile away, providing a major power centre for the entire Cardiff region and is remarkable project legacy. Community participants have one of the largest and most impressive hillforts in south- been involved in co-production of research activities east Wales. During the Medieval period a ringwork and and interpretations with university academics, creating church (St Mary’s) were built within the ancient Iron educational opportunities, learning skills, building Age boundaries and indicate the site remained a position confidence, confronting stigmas and challenging the of importance. Their impressive remains can still be aspirational poverty which blights so many families seen today and provide an important focus for the local within these communities. The project constitutes a community. journey which has seen community participants and researchers 'deconstructing' a decommissioned Iron- The CAER Heritage Project’s objective is to help the Age replica village at St Fagans National Museum of people of Caerau and Ely to connect with this site’s Wales, then taking the skills and team spirit forged in fascinating past and make it relevant to the present. From that process to explore an authentic and under-researched the outset the project’s key objectives have been to put Iron-Age and Medieval archaeological site at the heart local people at the heart of cutting-edge archaeological of their communities. They will use the knowledge and research, to develop educational opportunities and to skills that they have uncovered to inform construction of challenge stigmas and unfounded stereotypes ascribed to a new experimental recreation of an Iron Age settlement this part of Cardiff. at St Fagans National History Museum. Through these initiatives Digging Caerau has forged a much closer The first phase of the project involved community relationship between the Caerau and Ely communities and participants in a variety of projects, including the the National Museum and University on their doorstep. exploratory excavations and geophysical survey of the This will be further cemented by the expansion of a hillfort undertaken by Time Team. Despite being one of heritage trail from Caerau Hillfort to St Fagans National the largest multivallate hillforts in south Wales, Caerau History Museum proposed by the HEART of Cardiff had never been subject to archaeological investigation funding bid which was successfully granted £35,000 in and there was no evidence for the date of the monument January 2013. nor for the nature of the occupation. 2.2 Description of the site The second phase of the project, known as ‘Digging Caerau’, intends to complete the characterisation of Caerau Hillfort is situated at NGR ST13377489 and is a activity within the interior of the hillfort (Stage 1 and multivallate hillfort covering a total area, including the Stage 2 of the research design – see Davis and Sharples hillfort boundaries, of 88,400 m². The hillfort occupies 2013). Investigation of the site is challenging as the the western tip of an extensive plateau, now cut through