Reassembling the bronze age : exploring the southern British midden sites
This thesis explores the Late Bronze Age and Earliest Iron Age midden sites of southern Britain and aims to enhance broader understandings of life during this period of transition (c. 1250 - 600 BC). The varied elements of life were mixed together at these sites, and this interweaving build-up of architectures and residues with seasonal traditions of occupation, created a special sense of place. Considerations of materiality are central to this thesis - such elements were critical to the way in which life in the Bronze Age was constructed and experienced. Through the fine grained analysis of large data-sets, I argue that the relationships, identities and worldviews of the inhabitants of southern Britain were redefined and reassembled at these central places. This thesis produces for the first time a synthesis of these sites across Britain, and it has entailed the excavation of a new midden site recently discovered in the West Midlands. Variations in the extent and depths of the sites, the density and types of finds, stratigraphic make-up, chronologies and settings are explored. The broader context of the later Bronze Age in Britain is discussed, enabling rich histories to be produced and key similarities and
Waddington, Kate
Reassembling the bronze age : exploring the southern British midden sites. This thesis explores the Late Bronze Age and Earliest Iron Age midden sites of southern Britain and aims to enhance broader understandings of life during this period of transition (c. 1250 - 600 BC). The varied elements of life were mixed together at these sites, and this interweaving build-up of architectures and residues with seasonal traditions of occupation, created a special sense of place. Considerations of materiality are central to this thesis - such elements were critical to the way in which life in the Bronze Age was constructed and experienced. Through the fine grained analysis of large data-sets, I argue that the relationships, identities and worldviews of the inhabitants of southern Britain were redefined and reassembled at these central places. This thesis produces for the first time a synthesis of these sites across Britain, and it has entailed the excavation of a new midden site recently discovered in the West Midlands. Variations in the extent and depths of the sites, the density and types of finds, stratigraphic make-up, chronologies and settings are explored. The broader context of the later Bronze Age in Britain is discussed, enabling rich histories to be produced and key similarities and
bronze_age explore southern british midden site explores late_bronze_age earliest iron_age midden site southern_britain aim enhance broad understandings life period_transition varied element life mix together site interweave build_up architecture residues seasonal tradition occupation create special sense_place materiality central_element critical way_life bronze_age construct experienced fine grain analysis large data sets argue relationship identity worldviews inhabitant southern_britain redefine central place produce first_time synthesis site_across britain entail excavation new midden site recently discover west_midlands variations extent depth sit density type find stratigraphic make_up chronology setting explore broad_context later bronze_age britain discuss enable rich history produce key similarity