STANSTED AIRPORT, ESSEX: CARBONISED PLANT REMAINS
Author(s): P Murphy
In this report plant remains from seven sites of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age to medieval date on the Boulder Clay plateau of NW Essex are described and discussed. LBA/EIA sites produced sparse assemblages of emmer, spelt, bread-type wheat, barley, oats, hazel nutshells and weed seeds probably related to small-scale domestic activity. Assemblages from Late Iron Age-Roman sites are dominated by spelt with some emmer, bread-type wheat, barley, oats, rye and ? peas. One site, it is argued, was a net cereal consumer; another was involved in large-scale spelt processing. Medieval sites produced remains of bread-type and rivet-type wheat, barley, oats, rye, peas, horsebeans, vetches and possibly flax. The assemblages seem to represent semi-cleaned prime grain. By examining the spatial distribution of macro fossils across one site, activity areas are proposed.
- Report Number:
- 129/1990
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 66
- Keywords:
- Plant Remains
