The exploitation of the East Midlands claylands in later prehistory : aspects of settlement and land-use from the Mesolithic to the Iron-Age in Central England
This thesis examines the evidence for prehistoric human activity in a defined area of the East Midlands of England where the dominant substrata is clay. It aims to examine whether the traditional model for limited prehistoric occupation of areas of clayland is accurate in the light of recent fieldwork. Problems of visibility, interpretation and biases in the record for clayland areas which may have influenced this model are discussed. The area selected consists of 4200 sq km comprising over sixty per cent clay substrata covering areas of Leicestershire and Northamptonshire and adjacent counties. The research examines the evidence at four levels: regional, sub-regional, micro-regional and at the level of the core area. The regional analysis examines the distribution of prehistoric activity based on information from Sites and Monuments Records. To test the results of this analysis four area surveys at sub-regional and micro-regional level are then examined. Evidence at the level of the core area based on excavated settlements in clayland areas is also analysed. This analysis suggests that there is no pattern of avoidance of clayland areas during the prehistoric periods but that the evidence for pre-iron Age
Clay, Patrick
The exploitation of the East Midlands claylands in later prehistory : aspects of settlement and land-use from the Mesolithic to the Iron-Age in Central England. This thesis examines the evidence for prehistoric human activity in a defined area of the East Midlands of England where the dominant substrata is clay. It aims to examine whether the traditional model for limited prehistoric occupation of areas of clayland is accurate in the light of recent fieldwork. Problems of visibility, interpretation and biases in the record for clayland areas which may have influenced this model are discussed. The area selected consists of 4200 sq km comprising over sixty per cent clay substrata covering areas of Leicestershire and Northamptonshire and adjacent counties. The research examines the evidence at four levels: regional, sub-regional, micro-regional and at the level of the core area. The regional analysis examines the distribution of prehistoric activity based on information from Sites and Monuments Records. To test the results of this analysis four area surveys at sub-regional and micro-regional level are then examined. Evidence at the level of the core area based on excavated settlements in clayland areas is also analysed. This analysis suggests that there is no pattern of avoidance of clayland areas during the prehistoric periods but that the evidence for pre-iron Age
exploitation east_midlands later_prehistory aspect settlement_land use mesolithic iron age central england examines evidence prehistoric_human activity define area east_midlands england dominant clay aim_examine whether traditional_model limit prehistoric occupation_area accurate light_recent fieldwork problems visibility interpretation bias record area may_influence model discuss area select consist comprise sixty per_cent clay cover_area leicestershire northamptonshire adjacent county examines evidence level regional sub regional micro regional_level core_area regional analysis examines distribution prehistoric activity base information sites monuments records test analysis area survey sub regional micro regional_level examine evidence level core_area base excavated settlement area also_analyse analysis suggest pattern avoidance area prehistoric_period evidence pre iron_age