The subject of this article, ‘Rattus rattus’ (Linnaeus, 1758), or the black rat, has, in Mr Rackh... more The subject of this article, ‘Rattus rattus’ (Linnaeus, 1758), or the black rat, has, in Mr Rackham's estimation, considerable archaeological importance, especially in view of recent discussions on plague and the end of Roman Britain, and subsequent plagues of the Anglo-Saxon period. We learn that some recent finds suggest a Roman date for the introduction of the black rat into Britain. Mr Rackham is a Senior Research Assistant in the Biological Laboratory, Department of Archaeology, University of Durham, with a research interest in late Pleistocene vertebrate fauna. Current work in the Department involves the environmental analysis, particularly zoological, of archaeological sites of all periods in the northern five counties of England.
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Excavations took place at this site in 1975-6, followed by a survey in 1977, at the invitation of... more Excavations took place at this site in 1975-6, followed by a survey in 1977, at the invitation of the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments, as clearance of turf and rubble had previously revealed a hoard of post-medieval coins. Further coins were found, which relate to the period after usage of the chapel had ceased: the group is interpreted in votive terms and related to accounts of pilgrimage to the site. The unicameral chapel itself had both a timber and a stone phase. The timber chapel probably had a stone 'cladding' and additions to the stone chapel at one stage included at least one stone bench. Little dating evidence was forthcoming, but a 10th-century coin was found in an intermediate stage between the two phases. The area around the chapel was enclosed, in the later phase, by a rectangular low stone wall, and in the earlier by a series of gullies and a possible timber fence. Few burials were found: two infant graves from the timber phase, one adult, one child and two...
The late Iron Age earthwork complex at Stanwick, North Yorkshire, enclosing 270ha of farmland in ... more The late Iron Age earthwork complex at Stanwick, North Yorkshire, enclosing 270ha of farmland in the Tees valley west of Darlington, is among the largest prehistoric fortifications in Europe. It lies 6km from Scotch Corner, the meeting place of long-established routes east-west over the Pennines and north-south through the lowlands of north-east England. Nearby is Scots Dike, a late prehistoric linear earthwork, which probably also functioned as an element of the Stanwick complex. Stanwick was first explored in 1951-52 by R E M Wheeler, who sectioned the earthworks in several places and excavated a small are within the internal enclosure known as the Tofts. This monograph presents the results of a research project carried out over 30 years at and around Stanwick. The core of the volume is an account of the stratified remains excavated in the 1980s in the Tofts, and the associated studies, including a programme of radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling to provide an independent ch...
In 2012 an excavation was undertaken in advance of housing development to the south of Banbury La... more In 2012 an excavation was undertaken in advance of housing development to the south of Banbury Lane, Middleton Cheney, following the discovery of two pits containing Late Neolithic grooved ware pottery during the evaluation. Further definitive evidence of Neolithic activity was not located, but three Early Bronze Age cremation burials lay in the vicinity of the Neolithic features. Two cremation burials were unurned and unaccompanied by grave goods; the third was interred in an inverted collared urn, which also contained a ceramic spoon and a bronze awl. An Early Bronze Age circular post-built structure was located south-east of the cremations. The date of the Neolithic and Bronze Age features has been confirmed by radiocarbon dating. More recent features comprised a Roman field boundary ditch and postholes, remnants of medieval ridge-and-furrow cultivation strips, and a post-medieval inclosure ditch.
The article describes how the changes in sea level, and in the course and behaviour of the River ... more The article describes how the changes in sea level, and in the course and behaviour of the River Thames, during the last 10,000 years have affected the survival of archaeological evidence in the Lower Thames floodplain, and how evidence of prehistoric settlement in the area is linked to these environmental factors.
Correlation between features excavated in advance of a gas pipeline, and cropmarks photographed s... more Correlation between features excavated in advance of a gas pipeline, and cropmarks photographed some years previously, led to identification of a Saxon rural settlement, occupied from the sixth or seventh century through to the mid-ninth century. It comprised several interconnected enclosures, adjacent to two main trackways. A narrow strip was excavated through the settlement, and five possible sunken-featured buildings, and numerous ditches and pits, were recorded—most ditches delineated enclosures which had been repeatedly redefined. The pottery assemblage spanned the transition between regional early Saxon and middle Saxon wares. Prehistoric occupation in the vicinity was evidenced by pottery (including beakers), flints and a bronze dagger jragment.
The subject of this article, ‘Rattus rattus’ (Linnaeus, 1758), or the black rat, has, in Mr Rackh... more The subject of this article, ‘Rattus rattus’ (Linnaeus, 1758), or the black rat, has, in Mr Rackham's estimation, considerable archaeological importance, especially in view of recent discussions on plague and the end of Roman Britain, and subsequent plagues of the Anglo-Saxon period. We learn that some recent finds suggest a Roman date for the introduction of the black rat into Britain. Mr Rackham is a Senior Research Assistant in the Biological Laboratory, Department of Archaeology, University of Durham, with a research interest in late Pleistocene vertebrate fauna. Current work in the Department involves the environmental analysis, particularly zoological, of archaeological sites of all periods in the northern five counties of England.
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Excavations took place at this site in 1975-6, followed by a survey in 1977, at the invitation of... more Excavations took place at this site in 1975-6, followed by a survey in 1977, at the invitation of the Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments, as clearance of turf and rubble had previously revealed a hoard of post-medieval coins. Further coins were found, which relate to the period after usage of the chapel had ceased: the group is interpreted in votive terms and related to accounts of pilgrimage to the site. The unicameral chapel itself had both a timber and a stone phase. The timber chapel probably had a stone 'cladding' and additions to the stone chapel at one stage included at least one stone bench. Little dating evidence was forthcoming, but a 10th-century coin was found in an intermediate stage between the two phases. The area around the chapel was enclosed, in the later phase, by a rectangular low stone wall, and in the earlier by a series of gullies and a possible timber fence. Few burials were found: two infant graves from the timber phase, one adult, one child and two...
The late Iron Age earthwork complex at Stanwick, North Yorkshire, enclosing 270ha of farmland in ... more The late Iron Age earthwork complex at Stanwick, North Yorkshire, enclosing 270ha of farmland in the Tees valley west of Darlington, is among the largest prehistoric fortifications in Europe. It lies 6km from Scotch Corner, the meeting place of long-established routes east-west over the Pennines and north-south through the lowlands of north-east England. Nearby is Scots Dike, a late prehistoric linear earthwork, which probably also functioned as an element of the Stanwick complex. Stanwick was first explored in 1951-52 by R E M Wheeler, who sectioned the earthworks in several places and excavated a small are within the internal enclosure known as the Tofts. This monograph presents the results of a research project carried out over 30 years at and around Stanwick. The core of the volume is an account of the stratified remains excavated in the 1980s in the Tofts, and the associated studies, including a programme of radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling to provide an independent ch...
In 2012 an excavation was undertaken in advance of housing development to the south of Banbury La... more In 2012 an excavation was undertaken in advance of housing development to the south of Banbury Lane, Middleton Cheney, following the discovery of two pits containing Late Neolithic grooved ware pottery during the evaluation. Further definitive evidence of Neolithic activity was not located, but three Early Bronze Age cremation burials lay in the vicinity of the Neolithic features. Two cremation burials were unurned and unaccompanied by grave goods; the third was interred in an inverted collared urn, which also contained a ceramic spoon and a bronze awl. An Early Bronze Age circular post-built structure was located south-east of the cremations. The date of the Neolithic and Bronze Age features has been confirmed by radiocarbon dating. More recent features comprised a Roman field boundary ditch and postholes, remnants of medieval ridge-and-furrow cultivation strips, and a post-medieval inclosure ditch.
The article describes how the changes in sea level, and in the course and behaviour of the River ... more The article describes how the changes in sea level, and in the course and behaviour of the River Thames, during the last 10,000 years have affected the survival of archaeological evidence in the Lower Thames floodplain, and how evidence of prehistoric settlement in the area is linked to these environmental factors.
Correlation between features excavated in advance of a gas pipeline, and cropmarks photographed s... more Correlation between features excavated in advance of a gas pipeline, and cropmarks photographed some years previously, led to identification of a Saxon rural settlement, occupied from the sixth or seventh century through to the mid-ninth century. It comprised several interconnected enclosures, adjacent to two main trackways. A narrow strip was excavated through the settlement, and five possible sunken-featured buildings, and numerous ditches and pits, were recorded—most ditches delineated enclosures which had been repeatedly redefined. The pottery assemblage spanned the transition between regional early Saxon and middle Saxon wares. Prehistoric occupation in the vicinity was evidenced by pottery (including beakers), flints and a bronze dagger jragment.
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Papers by James Rackham