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A Late Neolithic Palisaded Enclosure at Marne Barracks, Catterick, North Yorkshire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2014

Duncan Hale
Affiliation:
Archaeological Services, Durham University, South Rd, Durham DH1 3LE
Andy Platell
Affiliation:
Archaeological Services, Durham University, South Rd, Durham DH1 3LE
Andrew Millard
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Durham University, South Rd, Durham DH1 3LE

Abstract

An open-area excavation conducted in advance of development at Marne Barracks, Catterick, in 2004 identified a relatively rare Late Neolithic ‘palisaded’ enclosure and other features. Approximately 55% of the enclosure was exposed. It consisted of two concentric sub-circular palisades with diameters up to 175 m and 200 m respectively. Each palisade consisted of a double circuit of posts, with the posts being c. 1 m apart from centre to centre. Many of the posts on the western side of the monument had been sufficiently carbonised for the remains of individual posts to be identifiable. Twenty-one radiocarbon ages were determined and Bayesian modelling has produced a date estimate of 2530–2310 cal BC for the start of construction of the monument. This date matches well with new dates for the construction of Silbury Hill, the appearance of Beaker pottery in graves, the Amesbury Archer, and the timber circles at Durrington Walls, for example.

The Marne Barracks monument exhibits significant differences to other known examples of this type, and is in some respects unique. In particular the ‘paired post’ arrangement of a double circuit of posts in each palisade is unparalleled in any other known example. The apparent width of the entrances to the Marne enclosure is also at variance with other known sites, though this may in part be an artefact of post-depositional survival. The monument sits in a ritual landscape and, like a few others of its type, is close to water and a hill or large mound from where the activities taking place within the enclosure might have been observed. Do the nearby hill, the entrances, and the arrangement of the uprights all relate to control of physical and visual access into, or out of, the monument?

A number of broadly contemporary monuments, all within 5 km of Marne Barracks, contribute to a significant Neolithic ritual focus on the River Swale gravels. The complex of cursus and henge monuments at Thornborough and the henges at Nunwick, Hutton Moor, and Cana Barn all lie less than 25 km to the south, in the Swale-Ure interfluve.

Résumé

En 2004, l'excavation d'une zone découverte menée en anticipation de travaux de mise en valeur à Marne Barracks, Catterick, a identifié une enceinte à ‘palissade’ relativement rare du néolithique final et d'autres vestiges. Environ 55% de l'enceinte ont été mis au jour. Elle consistait en deux palissades concentriques quasi-circulaires de jusqu'à 175 m et 200 m de diamètre respectivement. Chaque palissade consistait en un double cercle de poteaux, ceux-ci étant séparés d'environ 1 m de centre à centre. De nombreux poteaux du côté ouest du monument avaient été suffisamment carbonisés pour qu'on puisse identifier les restes de poteaux individuels. On a déterminé 21 âges au C14 et un modèle bayesien a donné une date estimée à entre 2530–2310 av. J.-C. en années calibrées pour le début de la construction du monument. Cette date correspond bien aux nouvelles dates pour la construction de Silbury Hill, l'apparition de la poterie Beaker dans les tombes, l'archer d'Amesbury et les cercles de bois de construction à Durrington Walls, par exemple.

Le monument de Marne Barracks met en évidence d'importantes différences avec les autres exemples connus de ce type, et est, sous certains aspects, unique. En particulier la disposition des paires de poteaux en un double cercle pour chaque palissade n'a de parallèle dans aucun autre exemple connu. La largeur apparente des entrées de l'enceinte de Marne diverge également des autres sites connus bien que ce pourrait être en partie un effet de la survivance après dépôt. Le monument repose dans un paysage rituel et, comme quelques autres de ce type, est à proximité d'une source d'eau et d'une colline ou d'un grand tertre d'où on pouvait observer les activités qui se déroulaient dans l'enceinte. Est-ce que la colline proche, les entrées et la disposition des montants ont tous un rapport avec le contrôle de l'accès physique et visuel, entrées et sorties, du monument?

Un nombre de monuments quasiment contemporains, tous situés à moins de 5 km de Marne Barracks, contribuent à créer un centre rituel néolithique significatif sur les graviers de la rivière Swale. Le complexe de monuments à cursus et enceinte de Thornborough et les enceintes de Nunwick, Hutton Moor, et Cana Barn se situent tous à moins de 25 km au sud, à la confluence de la Swale et de l'Ure.

Résumen

Una excavación en área abierta realizada con anterioridad a trabajos de construcción en Marne Barracks, Catterick, en el 2004, identifico uno de los relativamente poco frecuentes recintos vallados del tardo Neolítico y otros elementos. Se excavó aproximadamente un 55% del recinto, que consistía en dos empalizadas sub-circulares concéntricas con diámetros de hasta 175 m y 200 m respectivamente. Cada empalizada estaba compuesta por un doble circuito de estacas colocadas aproximadamente a 1 m de distancia de centro a centro entre ellas. Muchas de las estacas en el lado oeste del monumento estaban lo suficientemente carbonizadas para que se pudieran identificar los restos de las estacas individuales. Se obtuvieron veintiuna dataciones al carbono-14 y la utilización de modelos matemáticos bayesianos ha dado una edad aproximada de 2530–2310 cal a.C. para el comienzo de la construcción del monumento. Esta fecha se ajusta bien con las nuevas fechas para la construcción de Silbury Hill, la aparición de la cerámica campaniforme en enterramientos, el Arquero de Amesbury, y los círculos de madera de Durrington Walls, por ejemplo.

El monumento de Marne Barracks presenta diferencias significativas con respecto a otros ejemplares conocidos de este tipo de construcción, y es, en cierto sentido, único. En particular, la disposición en ‘estacas emparejadas’ de un doble circuito de estacas en cada empalizada no tiene paralelos en otros yacimientos conocidos. El ancho aparente de las entradas al recinto de Marne también discrepa de la de otros ejemplos, aunque esto puede deberse en parte a supervivencia post deposicional. El monumento se emplaza en un paisaje ritual, y está, como bastantes otros de su tipo, cercano a agua y a una colina o alto montículo desde donde las actividades desarrolladas dentro del recinto podrían haber sido observadas. La colina cercana, las entradas y la disposición de los postes ¿están relacionados con el control del acceso físico y visual a, y desde, el monumento?

Un número significativo de monumentos contemporáneos, todos dentro de un radio de 5 km desde Marne Barracks, contribuye a una concentración ritual neolítica importante en las gravillas del Río Swale. El complejo de monumentos de tipo ‘cursus and henge’ en Thornborough y los recintos tipo ‘henge’ de Nunwick, Hutton Moor, y Cana Barn están todos a menos de 25 km al sur, en la zona interfluvial de los ríos Swale-Ure.

Zusammenfassung

Die 2004 durchgeführte Rettungsgrabung an einer Freilandfundstelle in Marne Barracks, Catterick, erbrachte eine relativ seltene spätneolithische kreisförmige Palisadenanlage und andere Befunde. Ungefähr 55% der Anlage konnten ausgegraben werden. Sie bestand aus zwei konzentrischen, fast kreisförmigen Palisaden mit einem Durchmesser von 175 m byw. 200 m. Jede Palisade bestand aus einer doppelten Pfostenreihe mit einer Pfostensetzung in der Entfernung von ca. 1 m vom Pfostenmittelpunkt aus gemessen. Viele der Pfosten der westlichen Seite der Anlage waren genügend verkohlt, so dass die einzelnen Pfosten identifiziert werden konnten. Baysianische Modellierung von 22 Radiokarbondaten ergab ein Datum von 2530–2310 cal BC für den Baubeginn der Anlage. Dieses Datum stimmt mit den neuen Daten für die Erbauung von Silbury Hill überein, dem Beginn der Glockenbecherkeramik in Gräbern, dem Amesbury Archer, und z.B. den Holzkreisen in Durrington Walls.

Die Anlage von Marne Barracks zeigt bedeutende Unterschiede zu anderen bekannten Beispielen dieses Typs, und ist deshalb in einiger Hinsicht als einmalig anzusehen. Besonders die Bauweise mit ‘Doppelpfosten’ in einem doppelten Pfostenkreis in beiden Palisaden kennt bisher keine Vergleiche. So unterscheidet sich auch die Dimension der Eingänge dieser Anlage von anderen Anlagen, obwohl dies auch durch den unterschiedlichen Erhaltungszustand der Pfosten hervorgerufen sein kann. Die Anlage liegt in einer rituellen Landschaft und, vergleichbar mit anderen Anlagen dieses Typs, in unmittelbarer Nähe zu Wasser und einem Hügel oder größeren Berg, von dem aus die in der Anlage vorgehenden Aktivitäten beobachtet werden konnten. Die Frage ist somit, ob der nahe gelegene Berg, die Eingänge und die Bauweise der Palisaden zur Kontrolle des physischen und visuellen Zugangs zur oder aus der Anlage heraus dienen?

Eine Anzahl von mehr oder weniger gleichzeitigen Anlagen, die innerhalb einer Entfernung von 5 km von Marne Barracks liegen, weisen auf einen bedeutsamen rituellen Fokus auf den Swale Flusskiese während des Neolithikums hin. Der Komplex von Cursus und Henge Monumenten in Thornborough und die Henges in Nunwick, Hutton Moor und Cana Barn liegen alle in weniger als 25 km Entfernung in südlicher Richtung an der Swale-Ure Wasserscheide.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 2009

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