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Life below the waves: palaeolandscapes preserved within the sub-tidal Bristol Channel

Life below the waves: palaeolandscapes preserved within the sub-tidal Bristol Channel
Life below the waves: palaeolandscapes preserved within the sub-tidal Bristol Channel
Geophysical and geotechnical surveys offshore of Hinkley Point have revealed an extensive, yet fragmentary, Early Holocene submerged palaeolandscape. Radiocarbon dating indicates peat formation beginning c 7500 Cal BC, with brackish and marine inundation taking place c 7000 Cal BC. The comprehensive dating strategy has also demonstrated the difficulties of obtaining robust chronologies from peat deposits within the sub-tidal zone. Results from a suite of palaeoenvironmental techniques provide detailed insights into an Early Mesolithic landscape. Of particular note was the frequent presence of charred remains of reeds, sedges and grasses in the sub-tidal basal freshwater peats which might implicate deliberate Early Mesolithic human activity. Significantly, the record revealed by the work here complements, and extends, that recorded previously from shallower intertidal and inland sites. This helps to extend our knowledge of the less accessible, but equally important, now submerged terrestrial landscapes of the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary region.
1354-7089
41-66
Sturt, Fraser
442e14e1-136f-4159-bd8e-b002bf6b95f6
Dix, Justin K.
efbb0b6e-7dfd-47e1-ae96-92412bd45628
Grant, Michael J.
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Steadman, Sean
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Scaife, R.G.
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Edwards, Robin
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Griffiths, Seren
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Cameron, Nigel
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Thompson, C.E.L.
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Bray, Simon
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Jones, Julie
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Sturt, Fraser
442e14e1-136f-4159-bd8e-b002bf6b95f6
Dix, Justin K.
efbb0b6e-7dfd-47e1-ae96-92412bd45628
Grant, Michael J.
56dae074-d54a-4da8-858a-2bf364a5a550
Steadman, Sean
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Scaife, R.G.
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Edwards, Robin
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Griffiths, Seren
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Cameron, Nigel
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Thompson, C.E.L.
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Bray, Simon
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Jones, Julie
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Sturt, Fraser, Dix, Justin K., Grant, Michael J., Steadman, Sean, Scaife, R.G., Edwards, Robin, Griffiths, Seren, Cameron, Nigel, Thompson, C.E.L., Bray, Simon and Jones, Julie (2014) Life below the waves: palaeolandscapes preserved within the sub-tidal Bristol Channel. Archaeology in the Severn Estuary, 22, 41-66.

Record type: Article

Abstract

Geophysical and geotechnical surveys offshore of Hinkley Point have revealed an extensive, yet fragmentary, Early Holocene submerged palaeolandscape. Radiocarbon dating indicates peat formation beginning c 7500 Cal BC, with brackish and marine inundation taking place c 7000 Cal BC. The comprehensive dating strategy has also demonstrated the difficulties of obtaining robust chronologies from peat deposits within the sub-tidal zone. Results from a suite of palaeoenvironmental techniques provide detailed insights into an Early Mesolithic landscape. Of particular note was the frequent presence of charred remains of reeds, sedges and grasses in the sub-tidal basal freshwater peats which might implicate deliberate Early Mesolithic human activity. Significantly, the record revealed by the work here complements, and extends, that recorded previously from shallower intertidal and inland sites. This helps to extend our knowledge of the less accessible, but equally important, now submerged terrestrial landscapes of the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary region.

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Published date: April 2014
Organisations: Geology & Geophysics, Archaeology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 368625
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/368625
ISSN: 1354-7089
PURE UUID: bc8c3df6-d8b5-4264-8596-4c81d75b57b4
ORCID for Fraser Sturt: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3010-990X
ORCID for Justin K. Dix: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2905-5403
ORCID for Michael J. Grant: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4766-6913
ORCID for C.E.L. Thompson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1105-6838

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 15 Sep 2014 09:17
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:49

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Contributors

Author: Fraser Sturt ORCID iD
Author: Justin K. Dix ORCID iD
Author: Sean Steadman
Author: R.G. Scaife
Author: Robin Edwards
Author: Seren Griffiths
Author: Nigel Cameron
Author: C.E.L. Thompson ORCID iD
Author: Simon Bray
Author: Julie Jones

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