Modelling prehistoric topography and vegetation in the lower Thames Valley, UK: Palaeoenvironmental context for wetland archaeology and evidence for Neolithic Landnám from north Woolwich

Stastney, Phil, Scaife, Rob, Carretero, Lara Gonzalez, Whittaker, John E., Cameron, Nigel and Allison, Enid (2021) Modelling prehistoric topography and vegetation in the lower Thames Valley, UK: Palaeoenvironmental context for wetland archaeology and evidence for Neolithic Landnám from north Woolwich. Environmental Archaeology, 1-17. (doi:10.1080/14614103.2021.1880683).

Abstract

Multi-proxy investigations at 2 Pier Road, North Woolwich, London, UK, have revealed deposits spanning the Middle-Late Holocene from the late Mesolithic (c. 4360 cal BC) onwards. Pollen data show an Elm Decline at c. 4210–3950 cal BC followed by landnám clearances at c. 4210–3910 cal BC and c. 3710–3030 cal BC and the first appearance of cereal at c. 3540–3030 cal BC. These events are potentially contemporary with the construction of nearby Neolithic trackways, providing indirect evidence for agriculture and settlement. REVEALS modelling shows the first significant reduction in woodland cover is coincident with the Neolithic Elm decline, but the main step-change to open conditions occurred in the Early Bronze Age, following a decline in lime at c. 2110–1630 cal BC. Palaeo-topographic modelling of the region shows that although the trend towards increasing openness coincides with gradual wetland expansion, the shift to open vegetation cover cannot be explained by this and is probably the result of human activity. This study highlights the value of combining deposit and vegetation cover modelling to contextualise wetland archaeology and shows that together these provide useful proxies for landscape-scale human activity that can identify ephemeral signals of prehistoric activity.

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