Appendix V: Pollen Analysis
Appendix V: Pollen Analysis
This project, commissioned by English Heritage (EH), concerned the application of geophysical and geotechnical/seabed sampling methodologies to marine aggregate deposits that have been demonstrated to contain potential preDevensian or Devensian artefactual material.
Artefactual material, including hand axes, flakes, cores and faunal remains, were recovered from dredging licence Area 240 (licensed to Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd.) in 2008, situated approximately 11km off the coast of Great Yarmouth. The findings show that significant archaeological material can be present in deposits that are being targeted for marine aggregate extraction. The place where the finds were dredged is relatively discrete, and the provenance of the artefacts is secure. The area where the hand axes were recovered is currently subject to a rectangular exclusion zone based on dredger trackplots, implemented voluntarily by Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd in accordance with the BMAPA/EH Protocol.
The principal aim of the project is to improve the future management of the potential effects of aggregate dredging on the marine historic environment by developing techniques to evaluating the source of prehistoric artefactual material discovered in the East Coast region. This report presents the findings of Stage 1: review of existing data and discusses the reinterpretation of geophysical and geotechnical data acquired on behalf of HAML for the assessment of aggregate reserves.
The geophysics data reviewed included multi-beam bathymetric data and sub-bottom profiler (boomer source) data acquired by Andrews Surveys Ltd (now Gardline Surveys Ltd) during June and July 2005. The geotechnical data included 158 vibrocore logs and photographs acquired between 1999 and 2007.
The review of the geophysical and geotechnical indicate a complex history of deposition and erosion within Area 240. This history is further complicated by dredging operations conducted over the last 20 years. Eight sediment units were identified in the data, dating from the Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene (Unit 1) to marine deposits associated with the last transgression in the Holocene (Unit 8). The area is dominated by two channel features, one possibly dating to the Late Anglian (c. 480,000BP), the other a shallow meandering channel infilled with peats, possible deposited as late as the Mesolithic (c. 10,000 – 7,500 BP).
Within the area where the artefacts were dredged, three particular sediment units were identified sub-cropping the surficial sediment unit. Based on the artefact appearance and the initial dating of faunal material, the artefacts may be associated with particular units (Units 2, 4 and 6). The two channels lie to the north of this area, indicating that the artefacts, if associated with the channel, are associated with the channel edge rather than immediately adjacent to the channels.
36-45
Grant, Michael J.
56dae074-d54a-4da8-858a-2bf364a5a550
March 2011
Grant, Michael J.
56dae074-d54a-4da8-858a-2bf364a5a550
Grant, Michael J.
(2011)
Appendix V: Pollen Analysis.
In,
Russell, J., Tizzard, L. and DeLoecker, D.
(eds.)
Seabed Prehistory: Site Evaluation Techniques (Area 240). Synthesis: Appendices.
Salisbury, GB.
Wessex Archaeology, .
(doi:10.5284/1008287).
Record type:
Book Section
Abstract
This project, commissioned by English Heritage (EH), concerned the application of geophysical and geotechnical/seabed sampling methodologies to marine aggregate deposits that have been demonstrated to contain potential preDevensian or Devensian artefactual material.
Artefactual material, including hand axes, flakes, cores and faunal remains, were recovered from dredging licence Area 240 (licensed to Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd.) in 2008, situated approximately 11km off the coast of Great Yarmouth. The findings show that significant archaeological material can be present in deposits that are being targeted for marine aggregate extraction. The place where the finds were dredged is relatively discrete, and the provenance of the artefacts is secure. The area where the hand axes were recovered is currently subject to a rectangular exclusion zone based on dredger trackplots, implemented voluntarily by Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd in accordance with the BMAPA/EH Protocol.
The principal aim of the project is to improve the future management of the potential effects of aggregate dredging on the marine historic environment by developing techniques to evaluating the source of prehistoric artefactual material discovered in the East Coast region. This report presents the findings of Stage 1: review of existing data and discusses the reinterpretation of geophysical and geotechnical data acquired on behalf of HAML for the assessment of aggregate reserves.
The geophysics data reviewed included multi-beam bathymetric data and sub-bottom profiler (boomer source) data acquired by Andrews Surveys Ltd (now Gardline Surveys Ltd) during June and July 2005. The geotechnical data included 158 vibrocore logs and photographs acquired between 1999 and 2007.
The review of the geophysical and geotechnical indicate a complex history of deposition and erosion within Area 240. This history is further complicated by dredging operations conducted over the last 20 years. Eight sediment units were identified in the data, dating from the Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene (Unit 1) to marine deposits associated with the last transgression in the Holocene (Unit 8). The area is dominated by two channel features, one possibly dating to the Late Anglian (c. 480,000BP), the other a shallow meandering channel infilled with peats, possible deposited as late as the Mesolithic (c. 10,000 – 7,500 BP).
Within the area where the artefacts were dredged, three particular sediment units were identified sub-cropping the surficial sediment unit. Based on the artefact appearance and the initial dating of faunal material, the artefacts may be associated with particular units (Units 2, 4 and 6). The two channels lie to the north of this area, indicating that the artefacts, if associated with the channel, are associated with the channel edge rather than immediately adjacent to the channels.
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Area240.pdf
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Published date: March 2011
Organisations:
Geology & Geophysics, Archaeology
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Local EPrints ID: 378939
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/378939
PURE UUID: 8766f274-774c-4e39-b008-78bb30648fb2
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Date deposited: 10 Jul 2015 10:26
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:49
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Editor:
J. Russell
Editor:
L. Tizzard
Editor:
D. DeLoecker
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