Becoming Romano-British : the landscape of the late prehistoric and Romano-British periods in the Vale of the White Horse
This thesis investigates the rural landscape of the Vale of the White Horse in the late Iron Age and the Roman period. Its three aims are to place the Roman temple, amphitheatre and cemetery at Marcham / Frilford within the context of the wider rural landscape, to document the nature of the Romano-British social and economic structure and its relationship to earlier Iron Age systems, and to compare the rural community of the Vale with other communities in the upper Thames Valley. The first aim is addressed by analysing the archaeological data for the neighbourhood of the religious complex at Marcham / Frilford, integrating recent geophysical survey and commercial archaeological evaluations. It is considered whether the site's function was restricted to an extensive religious complex, or whether it can be classed as a small town. Although there is no evidence for urbanism in terms of densely packed buildings, market activities are possible. It is suggested that the cemetery might be a 'managed cemetery'. The second and third aims are addressed by presenting and evaluating the archaeological evidence for the use of the landscape. The development of the Iron Age into the Romano-British landscape is seen through
Wintle, William Alexander
Archeology ; Landscape ; Roman archeology ; Settlement ; Landscape archaeology ; Thames Valley ; Vale of the White Horse ; Settlement Patterns ; Roman Period ; Iron Age
Becoming Romano-British : the landscape of the late prehistoric and Romano-British periods in the Vale of the White Horse. This thesis investigates the rural landscape of the Vale of the White Horse in the late Iron Age and the Roman period. Its three aims are to place the Roman temple, amphitheatre and cemetery at Marcham / Frilford within the context of the wider rural landscape, to document the nature of the Romano-British social and economic structure and its relationship to earlier Iron Age systems, and to compare the rural community of the Vale with other communities in the upper Thames Valley. The first aim is addressed by analysing the archaeological data for the neighbourhood of the religious complex at Marcham / Frilford, integrating recent geophysical survey and commercial archaeological evaluations. It is considered whether the site's function was restricted to an extensive religious complex, or whether it can be classed as a small town. Although there is no evidence for urbanism in terms of densely packed buildings, market activities are possible. It is suggested that the cemetery might be a 'managed cemetery'. The second and third aims are addressed by presenting and evaluating the archaeological evidence for the use of the landscape. The development of the Iron Age into the Romano-British landscape is seen through
becoming romano_british landscape late_prehistoric romano_british_period white horse investigate rural_landscape white horse late_iron age_roman period aim place roman temple cemetery within_context wider rural_landscape document nature romano_british social_economic structure relationship earlier iron_age system compare rural_community community upper thames_valley first aim addressed analyse archaeological_data neighbourhood religious complex integrate recent geophysical_survey commercial archaeological evaluation consider_whether site function restrict extensive religious complex whether class small_town although evidence urbanism term densely pack building market activity possible suggest cemetery might managed cemetery second_third aim_address present evaluate archaeological_evidence use landscape development iron_age_romano british landscape see