ABSTRACT

Multi-proxy investigations at 2 Pier Road, North Woolwich, London, UK, have revealed deposits spanning the Middle-Late Holocene from the late Mesolithic (c. 4360 cal BC) onwards. Pollen data show an Elm Decline at c. 4210–3950 cal BC followed by landnám clearances at c. 4210–3910 cal BC and c. 3710–3030 cal BC and the first appearance of cereal at c. 3540–3030 cal BC. These events are potentially contemporary with the construction of nearby Neolithic trackways, providing indirect evidence for agriculture and settlement. REVEALS modelling shows the first significant reduction in woodland cover is coincident with the Neolithic Elm decline, but the main step-change to open conditions occurred in the Early Bronze Age, following a decline in lime at c. 2110–1630 cal BC. Palaeo-topographic modelling of the region shows that although the trend towards increasing openness coincides with gradual wetland expansion, the shift to open vegetation cover cannot be explained by this and is probably the result of human activity. This study highlights the value of combining deposit and vegetation cover modelling to contextualise wetland archaeology and shows that together these provide useful proxies for landscape-scale human activity that can identify ephemeral signals of prehistoric activity.

摘要

在英国伦敦 North Woolwich 的 2 Pier Road 进行的多项代理调查揭示了从中石器时代晚期（约公元前 4360 年）开始跨越中晚期全新世的沉积物。花粉数据显示榆树衰退在 c。4210–3950 cal BC 随后在 c. 获得 landnám 许可。4210–3910 cal BC 和 c. 3710–3030 cal BC 和 c. 谷物的首次出现。公元前 3540–3030 年。这些事件可能与附近新石器时代轨道的建设同时发生，为农业和定居提供了间接证据。REVEALS 模型显示，林地覆盖率的首次显着减少与新石器时代榆树的衰退同时发生，但开放条件的主要阶跃变化发生在青铜时代早期，石灰在 c 时减少。公元前 2110–1630 年。该地区的古地形模型表明，虽然开放度增加的趋势与湿地的逐渐扩张相吻合，但向开放植被覆盖的转变不能用此来解释，这可能是人类活动的结果。本研究强调了将沉积物和植被覆盖模型相结合以将湿地考古学背景化的价值，并表明这些共同为景观尺度的人类活动提供了有用的代理，可以识别史前活动的短暂信号。