The Archaeology of Castle Hill, Wittenham Clumps

HOMEPAGE

The Archaeology of Castle Hill

Trench 1

Trench 2

Trench 3

Trench 4

Week 3

Trench 4

Index

Week 2 update

Week 4 update

Week 5 update

Week 6 update

Interim Summary Reports

Photographs of people at work

NEW!

Latest from Castle Hill

The orange-brown sand at the top of Trench 4 is the natural sand for this area and would have been used as the temper in local pottery. The dark lines in the soil near the top of this trench are marks from ploughing, cutting into the archaeological layers.

A large square pit, at the far end of the trench, has been fully excavated, and dated to the Roman period. The pit is square with very crisp edges. The function of this pit evades us and although other examples of square Roman pits have been found their purpose is equally mysterious. The layers of chalk and the dark layers in the section have been deliberately dumped in the pit. Comparatively few finds were made in this pit, but a few pieces of Roman pottery and the spur from the leg of a cockerel were found.

Halfway along the trench a ditch can be seen. This ditch is part of the same enclosure ditch seen in Trench 3. Slightly up slope of the ditch, a square pit can be seen. A few pieces of Iron Age pottery, articulated animal bone, and pieces of charred wood have been recovered from this pit. There is some evidence that the remains of a feast were buried in the base of the pit.

A section view of the Roman pit in Trench 4

A section view of the layered Iron Age pit in Trench 4. Fresh animal bones were deposited in the bottom of the pit, then covered by a layer of charcoal.

A cockspur found in the Roman pit in Trench 4

If you would like to help on the dig please speak to one of the team, or contact Denise Price, at Oxford Archaeology on 01865 263800. Application forms may also be obtained by e-mail from denise.price@oxfordarch.co.uk.