Glandy Cross: A Later Prehistoric Monumental Complex in Carmarthenshire, Wales

Abstract

Excavations at the Glandy Cross monumental complex during 1991 and 1992 formed part of an integrated programme of evaluation, rescue, and research by Dyfed Archaeological Trust (DAT). Enclosures, pit circles, standing stones, and cairns were excavated and their environs systematically surveyed. Radiocarbon dates show the monumental complex to have been constructed between c. 2190–1530 cal BC. However, the earliest activity at the site may date to c. 4470–4230 cal BC. A defended enclosure was constructed on the peripheries of the complex c. 830–510 cal BC.The 1991–92 excavation results are presented along with a summary of survey, salvage, and research spanning the period 1981 to 1992. This new data set is tentatively interpreted in terms of historical process and the social practice of monumental construction. A brief commentary on heritage management at Glandy Cross is also presented.A note on authorship: one of the authors (George Williams) directed the Glandy Cross excavations during 1991–92 and prepared an initial draft of the project report. Following his retirement from DAT a project editor (Trevor Kirk) was commissioned by Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments to guide the project towards publication. This paper was largely penned by the project editor, though the excavation and survey data were produced by George Williams and his fieldwork team. The excavation and survey archives are held at the offices of DAT.

Pursuing ‘the Pressure of the Past’: British Prehistoric Research, 1980–2010

“…Projects were undertaken with the explicit intention of assessing landscape perceptions, the movement of prehistoric people in relation to architectural features or the landscape more broadly, instances of plural or contested meanings, the role of structured deposition, or evidence for social exclusion (eg, Chapman 2005; Kirk & Williams 2000;Last 2005). Throughout the period in question, in both PPS articles and fieldwork records, the research rationale given for undertaking fieldwork are fairly consistent.…”

“…Rather the themes of 'structured deposition' (Guttmann & Last 2000;Kirk & Williams 2000), 'landscape perceptions', 'power relations' (Needham 2000), 'social identity', 'metaphorical associations' (Kirk & Williams 2000), and the inter-relationship between 'ritual and everyday practice' (Guttmann & Last 2000) continue to be prevalent in articles from each of these years. Rather the themes of 'structured deposition' (Guttmann & Last 2000;Kirk & Williams 2000), 'landscape perceptions', 'power relations' (Needham 2000), 'social identity', 'metaphorical associations' (Kirk & Williams 2000), and the inter-relationship between 'ritual and everyday practice' (Guttmann & Last 2000) continue to be prevalent in articles from each of these years.…”

“…However, in the 2000s, several fieldwork projects in PPS were also carried out specifically in order to investigate interpretative issues. Projects were undertaken with the explicit intention of assessing landscape perceptions, the movement of prehistoric people in relation to architectural features or the landscape more broadly, instances of plural or contested meanings, the role of structured deposition, or evidence for social exclusion (eg, Chapman 2005;Kirk & Williams 2000;Last 2005).…”

Post‐middenism: Depositional Histories on Later Bronze Age Settlements at Broom, Bedfordshire

“…Such studies have also contributed to a significant increase in the recognition of fragmentary human remains on later prehistoric sites, and influenced the growing identification of placed or token deposits of human remains in such contexts (e.g. Boden 2003; Brossler 2001; Gibson 2004; Guttman 2000; Guttman and Last 2000; Kirk and Williams 2000).…”

“…2006; Cook et al . 2004; Guttman 2000; Kirk and Williams 2000; Ladle and Woodward 2003; Proctor 2002; Woodward 1998–9).…”