New insights into Late Devensian Lateglacial and early Holocene environmental change: Two high-resolution case studies from SE England

Simmonds, Michael; Branch, Nicholas; Marshall, Peter; Hosfield, Robert

doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2020.104364

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…The vegetation signal from palaeochannel 11539 is consistent with palynological data from southern England and patterns of tree-spreading characteristic of an ameliorating climate from the onset of the Holocene (eg, Day 1991;Scaife 2000;Chisham 2004;Groves 2008;Groves et al 2012;Brewer et al 2017;Simmonds et al 2021). Cold, open tundra environment was replaced by an open birch-pine woodland, with pine becoming the dominant woodland component from c. 9500 cal BC to around 8200 cal BC.…”

Section: Physical Landscape and Environmentsupporting

confidence: 70%

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The Blackwater is not a Back Water: Locating the Mesolithic and its Environment at Eversley Quarry, Fleet Hill Farm, Finchampstead, Berkshire

HARDING,

BROWN,

LÓPEZ-DÓRIGA

2023

Proc. Prehist. Soc.

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Archaeological fieldwork at Eversley Quarry, Fleet Hill Farm, Finchampstead, Berkshire documented evidence of Mesolithic activity, associated with paleoenvironmental deposits, on the Blackwater River floodplain, a river for which activity of this period was previously unknown. The discovery evolved from initial recognition of worked flint artefacts across a well weathered, stripped subsoil surface in part of the site. Additional material was collected subsequently from the summit of an adjacent low knoll. The findings were of sufficient extent and importance to warrant supplementary archaeological fieldwork using a gridded test pit strategy to evaluate the Mesolithic potential in remaining parts of the site. This resulted in the identification of additional clusters of worked flints, which were preserved in situ. The clusters were predominantly of Mesolithic date but also included Neolithic and Bronze Age artefacts, indicating prolonged use of the landscape. Concentrations were consistently located on slightly elevated sand bars flanking palaeochannels of a formerly braided river system. The contemporaneity of the palaeodrainage and Mesolithic activity has been confirmed by radiocarbon dates from peat that formed during the Holocene. The collective results mark a significant contribution to knowledge of the Blackwater River valley, a major communications artery in the Mesolithic period linking the west end of the Wealden Greensand to the Rivers Thames and Kennet. These findings also highlight the importance that river valleys can make to locations that have been less well studied but nevertheless enjoyed prolonged use.

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Section: Physical Landscape and Environmentsupporting

confidence: 70%

“…2017; Simmonds et al . 2021). Cold, open tundra environment was replaced by an open birch–pine woodland, with pine becoming the dominant woodland component from c. 9500 cal bc to around 8200 cal bc .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Blackwater is not a Back Water: Locating the Mesolithic and its Environment at Eversley Quarry, Fleet Hill Farm, Finchampstead, Berkshire

HARDING,

BROWN,

LÓPEZ-DÓRIGA

2023

Proc. Prehist. Soc.

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“…The Lateglacial period, marking the transition from the Pleistocene to the Early Holocene, is characterized by climatic instability and abrupt environmental change in North‐Western Europe (Walker et al 1993; 1994; Birks and Birks 2014; Rasmussen et al 2014; Candy et al 2016). The climatic shifts of the Lateglacial (Windermere) Interstadial, Younger Dryas (Loch Lomond Stadial) and Holocene transition are well reflected in a series of successional vegetation changes in geomorphological and palaeoecological records, along with a number of briefer climatic oscillations, although the exact timing of phase‐transitions can vary regionally (Innes et al 2009; Walker et al 2012; Walker and Lowe 2019; Simmonds et al 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lateglacial and Early Holocene palaeoenvironmental change and human activity at Killerby Quarry, North Yorkshire, UK

Hudson

Waddington

Pears

et al. 2022

J Quaternary Science

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The hunter-gatherers that entered the British peninsula after ice-retreat were exploiting a dynamic, rapidly changing environment. Records of vegetation change and human occupation during the Lateglacial to Early Holocene in northern Britain are more commonly found at upland and cave sites. However, recent research highlights many areas of the Swale-Ure Washlands that preserve extensive environmental sequences in low-lying ice-wastage basins, channels and depressions. The Lateglacial-Early Holocene environment of Killerby Quarry, North Yorkshire, is investigated here using a multi-proxy approach of sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA), pollen, sedimentological (geochemistry and portable optically stimulated luminescence), and rare and well-preserved archaeology (Lavvu structures and lithics). Results show that the wetland basins and kettleholes were small lakes or ponds in the Lateglacial surrounded by sedge-fen and birch woodland. A gradual (centennial scale) succession to reed-swamp and then marsh is seen by the Early Holocene. This environment formed the resource-scape for hunter-gatherer transitory settlement in both the Lateglacial (Late Upper Palaeolithic) and Holocene (Early Mesolithic), attracted by the rich communities of pond-related flora and fauna as well as easy strategic landscape access by way of the River Swale, an arterial route through the landscape connecting the North Sea Basin with the Pennine uplands via the palaeolakes around Killerby.

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New insights into Late Devensian Lateglacial and early Holocene environmental change: Two high-resolution case studies from SE England

Cited by 2 publications

References 116 publications

The Blackwater is not a Back Water: Locating the Mesolithic and its Environment at Eversley Quarry, Fleet Hill Farm, Finchampstead, Berkshire

The Blackwater is not a Back Water: Locating the Mesolithic and its Environment at Eversley Quarry, Fleet Hill Farm, Finchampstead, Berkshire

Lateglacial and Early Holocene palaeoenvironmental change and human activity at Killerby Quarry, North Yorkshire, UK

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