PREVIOUS   NEXT   CONTENTS   ISSUE   HOME 

Southern zone, Open Area 25 (west side) - Period 3 (earlier?)

The lack of investigation across much of the western half of the enclosure should be borne in mind; excavation is limited to its north-western corner (i.e. the north end of Excavation Area N). However, it is perhaps still possible to infer that this west side of OA25 is now relatively free of features such as pits and that its Period 3 use differs from that of the east side (Figure 99). [ link Figure 99]

Period 2B Building 31 is presumed to continue to occupy the north-west corner of OA25 until some time in the 2nd century, when its footprint is encroached upon by pitting. The survival of the western plot boundary is also presumed, though not necessarily in the form of its Period 2B ditches.

Period 3A summary view | Period 3B summary view | Open areas (lower terrace) | Open areas (upper terrace)

Fenceline Structure 30 (Group 666)

Foundation slots 25162 (seg. 11190) and 11238 are of similar proportion, at 0.2-0.3m wide and 0.14m deep, though 11238 is probably just a surviving fragment of a much longer slot fortuitously preserved only in the top of the fills of Late Iron Age pit 11316. Together, they possibly formed a right angle of a single structure. Given the location of 11190 and 11238 over an apparent Period 2 pit cluster, it is unlikely that they constitute the remains of a building. Instead, they probably mark the position of a fence delineating a rectangular sub-enclosure to the rear of, and probably associated with, still extant Building 31. Assuming that the OA25/26 boundary remains in place, this sub-enclosure is c. 13m wide by at least 32m in length, slot 25162 continuing in the rear of the plot as an unexcavated linear recorded on the pre-excavation plan. Judging from that part of its interior investigated in the north-west corner of OA25, its interior is probably kept free of pits - perhaps being a garden plot.

Pitting (Groups 664, 665)

In contrast with the preceding period, the north-western part of OA25 contains very few pits, all of small size and generally in peripheral locations within the enclosure. Inter-cutting pits 11013 and 11060 (Group 664) are located in the west of the enclosure, just inside (or perhaps on) the Structure 30 sub-enclosure. These shallow pits contain mid-1st to early 2nd century pottery. Pit 11013 also contains a significant quantity of daub fragments bearing wattle impressions.

Inter-cut shallow pits 11347 and 11731 (Group 665) are technically located outside the enclosure and represent a continuation of the Period 2 pit encroachment on Road/track 3 into the early Roman period. Pit 11731 seems to continue to accumulate material into the 3rd century - presumably as its contents settle.


 PREVIOUS   NEXT   CONTENTS   ISSUE   HOME 

Internet Archaeology is an open access journal based in the Department of Archaeology, University of York. Except where otherwise noted, content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY) Unported licence, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that attribution to the author(s), the title of the work, the Internet Archaeology journal and the relevant URL/DOI are given.

Terms and Conditions | Legal Statements | Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Citing Internet Archaeology

Internet Archaeology content is preserved for the long term with the Archaeology Data Service. Help sustain and support open access publication by donating to our Open Access Archaeology Fund.