Southern Regional Review of Geoarchaeology: Wind Blown Deposits
Author(s): Martin Bell, A G Brown
This report is concerned with the geoarchaeological potential of loess, coversand and blown sand deposits across Southern Britain. Aeolian sediments are significant because they bury and preserve archaeological sites ranging in date from the Palaeolithic to Second World War, whilst also creating favourable conditions for the preservation of a range of environmental proxies. However, these sedimentary contexts often do not get the attention they deserve. Each aeolian sediment type is dealt with on a sub-regional basis. Particular emphasis has been placed on the identification of key studies in fields other than archaeology, including geology, sedimentology, quaternary science and soil science. Key conclusions and recommendations highlight the potential of aeolian deposits to provide sequences of environmental and cultural change over a variety of timescales. Such contexts require an interdisciplinary approach to analysis that places aeolian sequences within the wider Pleistocene and Holocene sedimentary and archaeological context. Many aeolian deposits are contained within areas under some form of designated protection, but this often takes little consideration of the presence or importance of Holocene windblown sediments. The report also highlights the threat to aeolian deposits, particularly within coastal settings, from erosion and development pressure, and the need to monitor, record, and in cases mitigate potential losses to the geoarchaeological record.
- Report Number:
- 5/2009
- Series:
- Research Department Reports
- Pages:
- 98
- Keywords:
- Burial Environments Geoarchaeology Geochronology Optically Stimulated Luminescence Soil/Sediment
