Mesolithic Settlement in the North Sea Basin : : A Case Study from Howick, North-East England

• Author: Waddington, Clive.
• TeilnehmendeR: Bailey, G. N.; Waddington, Clive
• Year of Publication: 2007
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (607 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

The archaeological remains at Howick consist of a Mesolithic hut site and an Early Bronze Age cist cemetery located on a modern cliff edge overlooking a small estuary. This volume is devoted solely to the reporting and interpretation of the Mesolithic remains. Three huts had been constructed on the Howick site, all on the same footprint, with no evidence to indicate a gap between these occupations, and the remains inside the hut were all consistent with its use as a habitation site. The lithic material from Howick is the most accurately dated assemblage from any British Mesolithic site and is

Table of Contents

Title Page; Copyright Page; Dedication; Table of Contents; LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; SUMMARY; RÉSUMÉ; ZUASAMMENFASSUNG; SAMENVATTING; DANSK RESUMÉ; 1 INTRODUCTION; Setting the Scene; Scope of the Volume; Site Discovery; Aims; Field Research Strategy; Site Location; Previous Archaeological Work in the Howick Area; 2 GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY; Objectives; Location and Geology; Methods Statement; Results and Discussion; Conclusions; 3 FIELDWALKING; Introduction; Method Statement; Taphonomy; Density; Distribution; Assemblage Chronology; Raw Material; Types; Activity in the Wider Landscape

4 TEST PITSMethods Statement; Distribution and Artefact Density; The Lithic Assemblage; 5 EXCAVATION OF THE HOWICK HUT; Methods Statement; Site Stratigraphy; The overburden; Mesolithic Hut; Phase 1a Hut (see Figs. 5.6-5.9); Phase 1b Hut (see Figs. 5.10-5.12); Phase 2 Hut (see Figs. 5.13-5.16); Phase 3 Hut (see Figs. 5.17-5.20); Phase 4 Hut Re-Occupation (see Fig. 5.21); Features and Activity Outside the Mesolithic Hut; Conclusions; 6 ABSOLUTE DATING; Introduction; General Approach; Objectives; Sampling; Radiocarbon Analysis and Quality Assurance; The Results; Calibration

Analysis and InterpretationSediment Sequence; 7 CHIPPED STONE TOOLS; The Lithic Assemblage; Stratigraphic and Spatial Distribution; Overall Summary and Discussion; 8 BEVELLED PEBBLES, COARSE STONE TOOLS AND OCHREOUS MATERIAL; Ochreous Material; 9 RESIDUE AND USE-WEAR ANALYSIS OF STONE TOOLS; Residue Analysis; Method; Results; Discussion; Use-Wear Analysis; Results; Cluster analysis; Cluster 1; Cluster 2; Cluster 3; Cluster 4; Cluster 5; Cluster 6; Cluster 7; Cluster 8; Microliths; Scrapers; Unretouched tools; Core rejuvenation blades; Discussion; Tool use and activities at Howick; Conclusion

10 FAUNAL REMAINSIntroduction; Bone analysis; Shell analysis; Conclusions; Acknowledgements; 11 PLANT REMAINS AND CHARRED WOOD; Summary; Method Statement; Archaeobotanical Residues; Phase 1a; Phase 1b; Phase 2; Phase 3; Phase 4; Features outside the Mesolithic hut; Charcoal Analysis; Discussion; Conclusions; 12 GEOMORPHOLOGY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS; Geomorphological Setting; Description and Classification of Shoreline and Coastal Plain Morphology; Summary of Sedimentary Units; Archaeological Potential and Erosion Threats; Late Glacial to Holocene Palaeogeography and Sea Level Change

Sedimentary Analysis of the SiteHolocene Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction; Howick Burn Sediments; Calcareous Microfossil Analysis; Pollen Analysis; Interpretation of Pollen Analysis; Environmental Summary; 13 EXPERIMENTAL CONSTRUCTION; Introduction; Construction 1; Construction 2; Conclusions; 14 HOWICK: DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION; Introduction; Site Taphonomy; Site Recording; The Huts; Phase Summaries (see Fig 14.1 for exploded view of the phase plans); External Activity; Bevelled Pebble Tools; Permanency; Site Type; Settlement Organisation and Economy; The Mesolithic Environment

Conclusions