The use of radiocarbon and Bayesian modelling to (re)write later Iron Age settlement histories in east-central Britain
This thesis focuses on the use of radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling to develop more precise settlement chronologies for later prehistoric settlements over an area extending from the Tees valley in the south to the Firth of Forth in Scotland and bounded by the Pennines to the west. The project has produced a corpus of 168 new radiocarbon dates from nine sites and used these, together with dates that were already available for another 10 sites to develop new chronological models for 18 settlements representative of different parts of the study area. The results of the modelling underline the dynamic character of later prehistoric social organization and processes of change in east-central Britain over a period of several centuries. A widespread shift from nucleated settlements to dispersed farmsteads apparently occurred over a period of no more than a generation on either side of 200 cal BC, with a subsequent move back to open sites in the period following Caesarâs invasions in 55/54 BC. It is not yet clear why the settlement pattern became more focused on enclosed settlements around 200 cal BC, but whatever the cause, this seems to form a single archaeological horizon all the way from the Forth to
Hamilton, William Derek
The use of radiocarbon and Bayesian modelling to (re)write later Iron Age settlement histories in east-central Britain. This thesis focuses on the use of radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling to develop more precise settlement chronologies for later prehistoric settlements over an area extending from the Tees valley in the south to the Firth of Forth in Scotland and bounded by the Pennines to the west. The project has produced a corpus of 168 new radiocarbon dates from nine sites and used these, together with dates that were already available for another 10 sites to develop new chronological models for 18 settlements representative of different parts of the study area. The results of the modelling underline the dynamic character of later prehistoric social organization and processes of change in east-central Britain over a period of several centuries. A widespread shift from nucleated settlements to dispersed farmsteads apparently occurred over a period of no more than a generation on either side of 200 cal BC, with a subsequent move back to open sites in the period following Caesarâs invasions in 55/54 BC. It is not yet clear why the settlement pattern became more focused on enclosed settlements around 200 cal BC, but whatever the cause, this seems to form a single archaeological horizon all the way from the Forth to
use_radiocarbon bayesian modelling write late_iron_age settlement_history east_central britain focus use_radiocarbon date bayesian_model develop precise settlement chronology later_prehistoric settlement area extend valley south forth scotland bound pennines west project produce corpus new radiocarbon_date site use together date already available another site develop_new chronological model settlement representative different_part study_area model underline dynamic character later_prehistoric social_organization process_change east_central britain period widespread shift settlement disperse farmstead apparently occur period generation either_side cal subsequent move back open site period follow caesar invasion date yet clear settlement_pattern become focused settlement around cal whatever cause seem form single archaeological horizon way forth