Thesis for the Ph.D. Degree submitted to the University of London Faculty of Arts by Isobe]. Foster Smith, B.A. Institute of Archaeology. May 1956. THE DECORATIVE ART OF NEOLITHIC CERAMICS IN SOUTH-EASTERN ENGLAND AND ITS RELATIONS 8 1L ii. CONTENTS Abstract page v Acimowledgement s vii List of Text-figures viii. Part I. Introduction page 1. History of the subject, p.1; ii. Plan of the study, p.1; iii. The geographical area covered by the study, p.3; iv. Definition of the chronological period covered, p.4. Part II. The Wthdmill Hill Complex page '7 1. The distribution of Windmill Hill pottery in south-eastern England, p.8; ii. The pottery, p.15; Abingdon ware, p.16; Whitehawk ware, p.23; Lilderthall ware, p.29; Mixed groups, p.37; Other groups, p.41; 11.1. Artifacts associated with the pottery, p.43; iv. 'ode of occurrence, p.49; v. Economy, p.54; vi. Relative chronology, p.56; vii. Relationships with other Western Neolithic groups, p.59. Part III. The Peterborough Complex page 1. The distribution of Peterborogh ware in the south-eastern area, p.70; ii. he pottery, p.77; The Ebbsfleet style, p.78; The ortlake style, p.93; The Fengate style, p.104; iii. Other artifacts associated with Peterborough ware in the south-eastern area, p.11?; iv. vode of occurrence, p.124; v. Economy, p.137; vi. Relationships and dating, p.139; vii. The survival of the Peterborouh ceramic tradition, p.158; viii. The origins of the Peterborough complex, p.169. iii CONTENTS Part IV. The Rinyo-C].acton Complex page 184 1. The distribution of the pottery in the south- eastern area, p.185; ii. The pottery, p.190; The Clacton style, p.192; The Woodlands style, p.196; The looclhenge style, p.198; iii. Artifacts associated with the pottery, p.204; iv. viode of occurrence, p.208; v. Economy, p.211; vi. Associations and dating, p.213; Associations with other types of pottery, p.213; b. Cross-dating by other associated artifacts, p.217; Sign.ficant associations with round barrows arid cremations, p.218; vii. urvivals of the Rinyo-.Clacton ceramic tradition, p.223; viii. The origins of the Rinyo- Clacton culture, p.229. Part V. A revised framework for the chronology of the Neolithic period in E,outh-eastern England page 241 Part vi. Final considerations page 244 Bibliography page 247 Appendix I. Late Beaker pottery from the Lyonesse Surface and the Date of the Transgression. By I.F. Smith. Reprinted from The Eleventh knnual Report of the Institute or Archaeology, University of London, 1955, 29-42. Appendix II. Neolithic Pottery from the Submerged Land- urface of the Essex Coast. Part I. The Field Evidences. By S. Hazzledine Warren. Part II. The Pottery. By Isobel Smith. Reprinted from The Tenth Annual Report of the Institute of Archaeology, University of London, 1954, 26-33. Appendix III Excavation of a Neolithic Barrow on thiteleaf Hill, Bucks. By Sir Lindsay cott. Prepared for publication by Professor V.G. Childe with a description arid analysis of the pottery by Isobel Smith. Reprinted from the Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, xx, Part 2 (1954), 212-30. iv CONTENTS Appendix IV. Razors, Urns, and the British huddle Bronze Age. By J. Jay Butler and Isobel F. Smith. To be published in The Twe]}th Annual Report of the Institute of Archaeology, University of London, 1956. Appendix V. Lode of occurrence of lindmill Hill iiottery In the c outh_eastern Area: List of sites from which the figures in Table III have been compiled.. Appendix VI. Lode of occurrence of Peterborough pottery: detailed list of sites forming the basis from which Table VI has been compiled. ApendIx VII. Lode of occurrence of Rinyo-Clacton ware In the South-eastern Area: List of sites from which the figures in Table IX have been compiled. Appendix VIII. Comparative table, shoing the modes of occurrence of 1indniill Hill, Peterborough and Rinyo-Clacton wares. V. Abstract A detailed study has been made of thei Neolithic pottery of south-eastern Englana, orty-two new or prviously unclassified finds have been added to published lists. The text is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue recording all material known in the Spring of 1956. The results of the study may be summarized under headings referring to the three ceramic groups with which it is concerned: The Windmill Hill complex: The characteristics and. inter- relationships of the three major styles of decorated wares In the area are distinguished more precisely than hitherto. The Peterborough complex: A refined definition of the two styles already familiar, and the recognition of a third, has disclosed an evolutionary and chronological sequence. In the light of this, peculiarities of the later I\eolithic wares of Ulster and Scotland and of developed Peterborough ware can be explained more economically in terms of culture contact between the groups concerned than by postulating foreign Influences, and the relationship between Peterboroui ware and Overhanging-rim Urns can be more clearly understood. It is further su,gested that Peterborough ware is not so associated with an assemblage of distinctive archaeological vi. traits as to represent a culture of Baltic or Mesolithic origin, or even an. independent culture, but in its earliest form is associated with traits regnlarly occurring In the 'Vindmill Hill complex, as if its makers sprang from the same Western Neolithic stock. It Is the survival of this stock, after the disappearance of the Windmill Hill culture, that is attested by the Peterborou,h ware of the Late Neolithic and its Bronze Age successors. The Rinlo-Clacton complex: A third stylistic group Is added to the two now recognized In the south of England. he cultural individuality of the Rino-Clacton complex over against the Windmill Hill-Peterborough complexes is brought out more clearly. A genetic relationship between Rinyo- Clacton ware and biconical urns is suggested. A revised chronological framework for the Middle and Late Neolithic periods in south-eastern England is put forward. v%t ACKNO L.JDGE?NT The writer would like to thank all those individuals who have generously made available unpublished pottery from their own excavations and to whom acknowledgements are rade by name in the appropriate sections of the text and catalogue, and also the officials in charge of collections in all the museums visited for their willing assistance and co-operation. Grateful acknowledgement is made to the Central Research Funds Committee of the University of London for a grant enablinc, the writer to visit museums in Denmark, weden, north-west Germany and. holland in order to examine comparative material in connexion 1th Part III of this study. T0 Professor V. Gordon Childe, above all, deepest gratitude is expressed for his unfailing help and encouragement at all stages during the preparation of the study and f or having nade such arrangements as to afford the writer the possibility of undertakinc, it. )IRI. LIST OF TEXT-FIGURES Fig. 1. The distribution of Vilidmill Hill wares in south-eastern Englarid page 14 2, The distribution of Peterborough ware in south-eastern England 76 3. Ebbsfleet wares typical profiles 84 4. Mortlake ware: typical profiles 97 5. Fengate ware: typical profiles 108 6. The distribution of Rinyo-Clacton ware in south-eastern England 189 7. Passage-grave art motifs and similar designs on Rinro-Clacton ware 236 I INTRODUCT ION 1. History of the subject It Is customary to begin a dissertation with a brief history of previous work upon the subject, but in this instance such a rsumó will be omitted, for It could do no more than repeat the facts so recently sunirnarized by Professor PIgott in The Neolithic Cultures of the British Isles (Cambridge, 1954), where the relevant data are presented In Chapters III and XI. In the present study an attempt has been made to examine and classify in greater detail the eolithIc cultures of a liidted area of England, with primary emphasis upon the ceramic components of those cultures. Such a detailed exam- ination could not have been undertaken in the absence of the foundation laid by Professor PIgott in 1931 ("The Neolithic Pottery of the British Isles", Arch.J., lxxxviii) and In the monograph referred to above. His work has been drawn upon throughout for basic lists of sites, classifications of groups and general concepts. II. Man of the study This examination of the r1eollthlc ceramics of south- eastern England Is presented in two parts, Volume I consisting of the analysis of the material and of Its relationships, Volume II of an illustrated catalogue. In the catalogue all the Teo11thic pottery of the area known to the writer in 2. the Spring of 1956 is recorded and described, with ful]. reference to published accounts. No attempt has been made to figure pottery which has been adequately and accessibly published elsewhere except in instances where it was desired to use the material to emphasize certain characteristics of the group concerned. Owing to the kindness of many people it has been possible to Include illustrations or descriptions of much unpublished and important material; indebtedness for such assistance is acknowledged in the relevant parts of the catalogue. Unless otherwise specified, all illustrations are full size. It is necessary to say a word at the beginning about the use of simple statistics in this study in order to avoid mis- underatandins. For the purpose of comparing various aspects of the material cultures of the Neolithic coninunities con- cerned it has been necessary to compile figures showing the frequency of occurrence of certain traits and to reduce these to percenta,es. The actual number of units in every instance Is so small, arid so many possibilities of error are inherent in the method, that It would give a spurious air of accuracy to such percentages were they worked out to the last decimal point.