Dendrochronology of the English Neolithic

Hillam, Jennifer; Groves, Cathy; Brown, David; Baillie, M. G. L.; Coles, John; Coles, Bryony

doi:10.1017/s0003598x00077826

Cited by 40 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…5800 BP), ash forms around 10% of the coppiced wood used (Hillam et al . ; Rackham ). In the historic period, although John Evelyn () claimed ‘The use of ash (next to that of the oak itself) [is] one of the most universal’, Rackham () was of the opinion that ash was a low‐status material since it was not used in church carpentry or similar, but was used for such things as wattle; in East Anglia, ash wattle rods were less common than those of Salix spp.…”

Section: Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of the 1286 timbers excavated at a Neolithic lake site in south-west Germany, 52% were ash compared to the next most common species, 'maple' at 10% (Million & Billamboz 2011). In the Sweet Track in Somerset (c. 5800 BP), ash forms around 10% of the coppiced wood used (Hillam et al 1990;Rackham 2014). In the historic period, although John Evelyn (1664) claimed 'The use of ash (next to that of the oak itself) [is] one of the most universal', Rackham (2014) was of the opinion that ash was a low-status material since it was not used in church carpentry or similar, but was used for such things as wattle; in East Anglia, ash wattle rods were less common than those of Salix spp.…”

Section: U S E Smentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biological Flora of the British Isles:Fraxinus excelsior

Thomas

2016

Journal of Ecology

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Summary1. This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Fraxinus excelsior L. (Ash) that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, responses to environment, structure and physiology, phenology, floral and seed characters, herbivores and disease, history, and conservation. 2. Fraxinus excelsior is a large forest tree, native throughout the main islands of Britain and much of mainland Europe. Seedlings are shade tolerant, but adults are not so it tends to be an intermediate successional species, invading gaps in mixed stands rather than forming extensive pure stands. Ash grows on a wide range of soils but is commonest on nutrient-rich soils with a high base status and pH > 4.2, and is at its best on dry calcareous screes and fertile alluvial soils. 3. Fraxinus excelsior is trioecious or subdioecious with male, hermaphrodite and female flowers and trees. Seed production is prolific with periodic higher producing mast years. Seeds are primarily wind-dispersed, but they can float and be moved considerable distances along waterways. Germination is delayed by dormancy until usually the second spring after being shed. 4. Ash is tolerant of drought, but intolerant of spring frosts and so is predicted to fare well under current climate change scenarios, and indeed has recently been expanding in range in Europe. However, ash health and survival is currently seriously compromised by ash dieback caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (Chalara fraxinea) that has the potential to kill all but a very few resistant trees. Moreover, the emerald ash borer beetle Agrilus planipennis, a serious pest of ash species in N. America, has reached Europe (though not yet the British Isles) and poses an equally if not more serious long-term threat to ash.

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Section: Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: U S E Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological Flora of the British Isles:Fraxinus excelsior

Thomas

2016

Journal of Ecology

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“…One of the most famous examples is the oldest wooden causeway, the 'Sweet Track', on the Somerset Levels (England), precisely dated to 3807-3806 BC (Hillam et al, 1990).…”

Section: Archaeological Woodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oaks, tree-rings and wooden cultural heritage: a review of the main characteristics and applications of oak dendrochronology in Europe

Haneca

Čufar

Beeckman

2009

Journal of Archaeological Science

222

122

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“…comm., 1989). Dendrochronological dating of these timbers (Hillam et al, 1990) yields an age estimate of 5840 BP.…”

Section: Buried Timbersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If it is accepted that the upper diamict is the late Devensian Skipsea till, some explanation must be found for the emplacement of Holocene oak timbers (dated to 5840 Bp; Hillam et al, 1990) within the till at Area 2 (Figures 1 and 6). One possible explanation is that the parental tree died and fell at a time when the local sandy member of the Skipsea till was the focus of vigorous groundwater discharge, allowing 'quick' conditions to be established.…”

Section: Buried Timbersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peat development, sand cones and palaeohydrogeology of a spring-fed mire in East Yorkshire, UK

Younger

McHugh

1995

The Holocene

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An archaeological dig near Beverley, East Yorkshire, UK, revealed humified peat enclosing conical and cylindrical sand bodies ('sand cones'), which contained Romano-British greyware. Such sand cones have not been previously described in the literature. Below the peat, upper and lower diamict units (previously classified as Holocene alluvium) were reclassified as late Devensian lodgement till and pre-late Devensian chalky head (gelifluction deposits) respectively. Enigmatic buried timbers, dated dendrochronologically to 5840 BP, were found partially buried within the till. Micromorphological evidence shows that the peat is autochthonous. The sand cones are remains of former spring orifices, which served as foci for groundwater discharge from the regional East Yorkshire chalk aquifer (which underlies the chalk-head deposits in hydraulic continuity). As a corollary, it is suggested that the buried timbers subsided into the till penecontemporaneously with the death of the tree, when an early period of vigorous groundwater discharge led to the temporary establishment of quicksand conditions. Peat accumulation and humification were intimately linked to variations in spring flows. Radiocarbon dates help to relate these variations to regional palaeohydrogeology, in particular to Holocene water-table fluctuations, which reflect changes in recharge rates (a function of climatic change) and sea level.

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Dendrochronology of the English Neolithic

Cited by 40 publications

References 4 publications

Biological Flora of the British Isles:Fraxinus excelsior

Biological Flora of the British Isles:Fraxinus excelsior

Oaks, tree-rings and wooden cultural heritage: a review of the main characteristics and applications of oak dendrochronology in Europe

Peat development, sand cones and palaeohydrogeology of a spring-fed mire in East Yorkshire, UK

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