Extensively illustrated report on an excavation in Oxfordshire near the Iron Age hillfort at Segsbury. Ephemeral traces of Mesolithic and Neolithic activity, including a possible Neolithic timber structure, were found. The remains of a probable Late Bronze Age pit alignment were also found. Small Iron Age settlements comprising round houses, pits and other structures, and burials were revealed. One particular burial in a pit had been subjected to unusual treatment that included the removal of the individual's feet after death. Small Roman and post-Roman cemeteries also were identified. The small Late Roman cemetery included males, females and neonates. This cemetery is typical for the period and the burials were accompanied by a range of artefacts including coins, brooches, a bracelet and rings as well as an unusual fragmentary double-sided bone or antler comb with a horse motif and ring-and-dot decoration. A small undated cemetery was originally believed to be either of Roman or less likely post-Roman date. However, radiocarbon dating revealed the unaccompanied burials to be of late 7th or early 8th century AD date. Innovative scientific techniques including radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling, aDNA and isotope analysis have revealed some important details such as familial relationships and dating that would not otherwise have been known. Small assemblages of finds included worked flint and prehistoric pottery, Roman and later pottery, worked bone, glass and metalwork.

About the Author
Paolo is an Assistant Post-Excavation Manager at Cotswold Archaeology (Kemble). He has worked in British commercial archaeology for 20 years, directing projects in Southern England as well as Italy and Turkey. His academic interest include social complexity/inequality in prehistoric Turkey and Mesopotamia, and has published a number of articles. Alistair is the Principal Post-Excavation Manager (Andover) and deals with all aspects of post-excavation and publication. He is an authority on prehistoric pottery, chronology and monuments, and has authored over a dozen books and monographs, and numerous research articles)


Book Information
ISBN 9781999822224
Author Paolo Guarino
Format Paperback
Page Count 220
Imprint Cotswold Archaeology
Publisher Cotswold Archaeology