SOIL REPORT ON THE LATE BRONZE AGE MIDDEN AT POTTERNE, NEAR DEVIZES, WILTSHIRE.
Author(s): R I Macphail
The very extensive Late Bronze Age midden at Potterne was studied in detail through soil micromorphology at Cutting 12 (14 thin sections), with the aid of reference slides of a dog coprolite and ashed organic matter from the midden. Four slides were also studied from midden and "colluvial" midden from Cuttings 14 and 15. At Cutting 12 the soil had been deeply truncated prior to occupation and deposition of the midden, which mainly developed from the dumping of burned animal stable layers - phytoliths, ash, coprolitic material and included sand. Such an accumulation suggests that little of the stable clearings was used for field manuring. Weathering of the "Graminae" ash midden allowed mobilisation of calcium and phosphorus to produce calcium phosphate mineralisation of materials including seeds. The upper part of the midden which may contain more "hearth ash" was reworked agriculturally and in places local soil became mixed with midden material to produce colluviums which continued to be cultivated.The report is supported by 70 colour plates.
- Report Number:
- 144/1987
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 75
- Keywords:
- Soil/Sediment
