Social transformations from the Middle Bronze Age to the Middle Iron Age in Central Southern Britain
The Later Prehistory of Wiltshire is included within social models built on the neighbouring counties of Dorset (Sharples 1991a) and Hampshire (Cunliffe 1984a) or general accounts of southern Britain (Barrett 1980b; BruÌck 1999a; Hill 1995a; Rowlands 1980). These focus on hillforts, bronze or independent farmsteads. Utilizing the wealth of new data accumulated by developer funded work, this study re-examines the evidence using a landscape scale approach influenced by community studies. It reveals that current approaches fail to explain the evidence from the study area. Towards the end of the Bronze Age, there is a trend towards transhumance with seasonal, pastoral camps and linear earthworks. Coinciding with the fall from grace of bronze as social mediator, animals became one way through which relations were negotiated. The trend continues into the Earliest Iron Age when large midden sites around Pewsey indicate the exploitation of iron deposits. The middens become centres of craft production for these transhumant communities and facilitate the growth of a broad affinity across the region. The supremacy of the middens lasts as little as 200 years before new sources of iron, continental imports and recycling
Tullett, Andrew Stewart
Social transformations from the Middle Bronze Age to the Middle Iron Age in Central Southern Britain. The Later Prehistory of Wiltshire is included within social models built on the neighbouring counties of Dorset (Sharples 1991a) and Hampshire (Cunliffe 1984a) or general accounts of southern Britain (Barrett 1980b; BruÌck 1999a; Hill 1995a; Rowlands 1980). These focus on hillforts, bronze or independent farmsteads. Utilizing the wealth of new data accumulated by developer funded work, this study re-examines the evidence using a landscape scale approach influenced by community studies. It reveals that current approaches fail to explain the evidence from the study area. Towards the end of the Bronze Age, there is a trend towards transhumance with seasonal, pastoral camps and linear earthworks. Coinciding with the fall from grace of bronze as social mediator, animals became one way through which relations were negotiated. The trend continues into the Earliest Iron Age when large midden sites around Pewsey indicate the exploitation of iron deposits. The middens become centres of craft production for these transhumant communities and facilitate the growth of a broad affinity across the region. The supremacy of the middens lasts as little as 200 years before new sources of iron, continental imports and recycling
social_transformation middle bronze age middle iron age central southern_britain later prehistory wiltshire include within social model build neighbouring county dorset hampshire general account southern_britain hill focus hillforts bronze independent farmstead utilizing wealth new_data accumulate developer fund work study re_examines evidence use landscape scale influence community study reveals current_approach fail explain evidence study_area towards_end bronze_age trend_towards transhumance seasonal pastoral camp linear earthwork fall grace bronze social mediator animal become_one way relation negotiate trend continue earliest iron_age large midden site around indicate exploitation iron deposit midden become centre craft_production community facilitate growth broad affinity across_region supremacy midden last little new source iron continental import recycle