CARBONISED PLANT REMAINS FROM CATCOTE, HARTLEPOOL, CLEVELAND.
Author(s): J P Huntley
Bulk soil samples from the Iron-Age - Romano-British site at Catcote, Cleveland were analysed for their carbonised plant remains. Wheat and barley were the most commonly recovered cereals although a few oat grains were present, these latter are considered to have been present as weeds not crops. The barley was hulled and, at least some, six-rowed. Measurements of wheat glume bases suggest that most of the wheat was spelt but that emmer was also used on this site. A few bread-wheat grains were also found. All of the samples from Area E, Iron-Age houses and Romano-British ditch features, had very little present in them. The few seeds in them simp1y indicate the species of food plants being used in the vicinity. Whilst 13 samples from Area F, a complex sequence of ditches and a rectangular Romano-style building, also showed only this "background" activity, 5 contexts were rich in seeds. They gave evidence of storage of barley grain and parching remnants from wheat. Although relatively few seeds were recovered from Catcote it is important to continue investigations from such sites for comparison with the better known Roman military sites from the north of England. Further investigations from native settlements should give a broader Picture of the whole economy of the period.
- Report Number:
- 16/1989
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 10
- Keywords:
- Grain, Carbonised Plant Remains
