Hi All,
I picked up this article from the news regarding a Prehistoric Causeway in Beccles, Suffolk..
http://www.bham.ac.uk/news_and_events_d ... 01&id=2674
I find this area fascinating - in Norfolk where I live, there tends to be clusters of tumuli (barrows) near to marshland areas. I wonder what the significance of these areas were to the prehistoric peoples? Any ideas?
I'll see if I can get in touch with the Suffolk County Archaeology Department to see if they are allowing visitors to or near to the site..
Its very exiting to find this sort of structure in East Anglia.
best,
Mel
Prehistoric Causeways
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Mel,
These causeways can be found all over Britain; in Scotland, they tend to be found more often in the central belt, which was a vast peatty morass until 200 or so years ago.
It may be that in Norfolk, these were the only high and dry areas available, so it would have been natural to use them for settlements/burial places. If you're familiar with Flag Fen, Francis Pryor (who first excavated it back in the '70s) did a lot of research on the phenomenon. In a recent book of his (whose title I can't remember
), he describes how he now thinks that wooden structures he found years ago in the area could be the earliest evidence for animal husbandry. I'll have to look it up, as my memory is playing tricks again!
These causeways can be found all over Britain; in Scotland, they tend to be found more often in the central belt, which was a vast peatty morass until 200 or so years ago.
It may be that in Norfolk, these were the only high and dry areas available, so it would have been natural to use them for settlements/burial places. If you're familiar with Flag Fen, Francis Pryor (who first excavated it back in the '70s) did a lot of research on the phenomenon. In a recent book of his (whose title I can't remember
), he describes how he now thinks that wooden structures he found years ago in the area could be the earliest evidence for animal husbandry. I'll have to look it up, as my memory is playing tricks again!
Last edited by Guest on Fri Aug 04, 2006 1:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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The results have so far been excellent and suggest that a wooden causeway more than half a mile long may have run from dry land on the edge of Beccles, across a swamp to a spot on the River Waveney.
It would be useful to know more about the geography of the area. What can be said about the starting and ending points? Is it the shortest route across the swamp? Is the route around the swamp so long and arduous that it would make construction of a shortcut worthwhile?
For that matter, at 5 meters wide (about 17 feet, I'd guess) it was wider than the Via Appia in Italy.
Perhaps it (like the modern project which located it) was primarily a flood control mechanism and the causeway across the top was just an additional side benefit?
Okay. I'm out of speculations.
Something is wrong here. War, disease, death, destruction, hunger, filth, poverty, torture, crime, corruption, and the Ice Capades. Something is definitely wrong. This is not good work. If this is the best God can do, I am not impressed.
-- George Carlin
-- George Carlin
I think the book is Flag Fen - Life and Death of a Prehistoric Landscape? It was on my reading list for my first term, but I haven't read it yet.. I'm working on a project at the moment so I'm totally immersed in Iron Age Animal Burials, but once I'm finished, I'll grab it from the library.. looks right up my street as I'm hoping to specialise in pre-history..If you're familiar with Flag Fen, Francis Pryor (who first excavated it back in the '70s) did a lot of research on the area. In a recent book of his (whose title I can't remember ), he describes how he now thinks that wooden structures he found years ago in the area could be the earliest evidence for animal husbandry
best,
Mel
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I don't know that much about the wetlands there except that a lot of archaeology has been found in them, i.e. quite a few "bog men" and many artifacts.
Given the climate of Europe, history isn't preserved nearly as well as drier warmer climates. A bog or marsh with it's natural preservation qualities is a gold mine for science.
Nice article Mel.
Given the climate of Europe, history isn't preserved nearly as well as drier warmer climates. A bog or marsh with it's natural preservation qualities is a gold mine for science.
Nice article Mel.
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What?
No roastbeef and Yorkshire pudding at the Roundhouse Cafe?
No roastbeef and Yorkshire pudding at the Roundhouse Cafe?
Something is wrong here. War, disease, death, destruction, hunger, filth, poverty, torture, crime, corruption, and the Ice Capades. Something is definitely wrong. This is not good work. If this is the best God can do, I am not impressed.
-- George Carlin
-- George Carlin
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Guest
seems to indicate that ancient man dealt with similar problems the modern world faces in similar ways. it also tends to give one the idea that no matter where you go in britain, you will find an archaeological site. almost as bad as Israel.At 5m wide, it was capable of carrying carts and was the Bronze Age equivalent of a motorway and archaeologists have been stunned to find that it was in use from the Bronze Age in around 1000BC, through the Iron Age and to Roman times and at least the 4th century AD.
In "Seahenge," which I think was by Pryor, he talks about finding
farm houses and cattle lanes.
In some areas the cattle lanes were created by digging parallel drainage ditches. Apparently, even after several thousand years there is
still a higher nitrogen content in the soil of the road beds due to the animals' excreta.
farm houses and cattle lanes.
In some areas the cattle lanes were created by digging parallel drainage ditches. Apparently, even after several thousand years there is
still a higher nitrogen content in the soil of the road beds due to the animals' excreta.
The deeper you go, the higher you fly.