Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-08T12:24:00.570Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Down, but not out: biological evidence for complex economic organization in Lincoln in the late 4th century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Keith Dobney ,
Harry Kenward ,
Patrick Ottaway  and
Lisa Donel
Keith Dobney
Affiliation:
Dobney & Kenward, Environmental Archaeology Unit, University of York, York YO1 5DD, England. [email protected]@york.ac.uk
Harry Kenward
Affiliation:
Dobney & Kenward, Environmental Archaeology Unit, University of York, York YO1 5DD, England. [email protected]@york.ac.uk
Patrick Ottaway
Affiliation:
York Archaeological Trust, Cromwell House, 13 Ogleforth, York YO1 7FG, England.
Lisa Donel
Affiliation:
City of Gloucester Archaeology Unit, The Old Fire Station, Barbican Road, Gloucester GL1 2JF, England
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Views of the Late Roman period in England have changed considerably in the past few years, with a tendency towards acceptance of a survival or resurgence of economic and political organization despite earlier decline. Traditional evidence provides some insights into the differential nature of these changes. Here it is argued that ‘environmental’ (in this case biological) evidence can provide unique insights into economic systems, and that bones and insects from late 4th-century AD Lincoln indicate continuity of complex systems into this period.

Keywords

LincolnRomanenvironmentalinsectswaterfrontvertebrate
Type
Notes
Information
Antiquity , Volume 72 , Issue 276 , June 1998 , pp. 417 - 424
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bateman, N. & Locker, A. 1982. The sauce of the Thames, The London Archaeologist 4(8): 204–7.Google Scholar
Brothwell, D., Dobney, K. & Ervynck, A. 1996. On the causes of perforations in archaeological domestic cattle skulls, International Journal of Osteology 6: 471–87.Google Scholar
Carrott, J., Dobney, K. Hall, A. Issitt, M. Jaques, D. Johnstone, C. Kenward, H. Large, F. Mckenna, B. & Milles, A. 1995a. Assessment of biological remains from excavations at Wellington Row, York (sitecode 1988–9.24), Reports from the Environmental Archaeology Unit, York 95/14.Google Scholar
Carrott, J., Issitt, M. Kenward, H. Large, F. Mckenna, B. & Skidmore, P. 1995b. Insect and other invertebrate remains from excavations at four sites in Lincoln (site codes: WN87, WNW88, WF89 and W089): Technical report, Reports from the Environmental Archaeology Unit, York 95/10.Google Scholar
Chitwood, P. 1989. Waterfront North West 1988, in Jones, (ed.): 4–7.Google Scholar
Dobney, K., Jaques, D. & Irving, B. 1996b. Of butchers and breeds. Report on vertebrate remains from various sites in the City of Lincoln, Lincoln Archaeological Studies 5.Google Scholar
Dobney, K., Jaques, D. Carrott, J. Hall, A. Issitt, M. & Large, F. 1996a. Biological remains from excavations at Carr Naze, Filey, N. Yorkshire: Technical Report; Reports from the Environmental Archaeology Unit, York 96/26.Google Scholar
Donel, L. 1989. Woolworth’s 1989, in Jones, (ed.): 7–8.Google Scholar
Donel, L. & Jarvis, M. 1990. Waterside North: Saltergate, in Jones, M.J. (ed.), Lincoln Archaeology 1989–1990, Annual Report City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit 2: 6–8. Lincoln: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit.Google Scholar
Esmonde Cleary, A.S. 1989. The ending of Roman Britain. London: Batsford.Google Scholar
Hall, A.R., Kenward, H.K., & Williams, D. 1980. Environmental evidence from Roman deposits in Skeldergate, The Archaeology of York 14(3): 101–56. London: Council for British Archaeology.Google Scholar
Jones, A.H.M. 1974. Taxation in antiquity, in Brunt, P.A. (ed.), The Roman economy: 151–86. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Jones, A.K.G. 1988. Fish bones from excavations in the cemetery of St Mary Bishophill Junior, pp. 126–31 in O’Connor, T.P., Bones from the General Accident Site, Tanner Row, The Archaeology of York 15(2): 61–136. London: Council for British Archaeology.Google Scholar
Jones, M.J. 1989. Lincoln Archaeology 1988–1989, Annual Report City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit 1. Lincoln: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit.Google Scholar
Jones, M. 1993. The latter days of Roman Lincoln, in Vince, A. (ed.), Pre-Viking Lindsey, Lincoln Archaeological studies 1: 14–28.Google Scholar
Kenward, H. & Hall, A. 1997. Enhancing bioarchaeological interpretation using indicator groups: stable manure as a paradigm, Journal of Archaeological Science 24(7): 663–73.Google Scholar
Lauwerier, R.C.G.M. 1988. Animals in Roman times in the Dutch Eastern River Area. Amersfoort: ROB. Nederlandse Oudheden 12/Project Oostelijk Rivierengebied 1.Google Scholar
Levitan, B. 1989. The vertebrate remains from Chichester cattle market, in Down, A., Chichester excavations 6: 242–76. Chichester: Chichester Civic Society Excavations Committee.Google Scholar
Maltby, M. 1984. Animal bones and the Romano-Rritish economy, in Grigson, C. & Clutton-Brock, J. (ed.), Animals and archaeology 4: Husbandry in Europe: 125–38. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. International series 227.Google Scholar
Mann, J. 1990. Finds from Waterside North, CLAU Archaeological Report 2:8.Google Scholar
Mann, J. & Fryer, V. 1993. Assessment of finds from Waterside. CLAU unpublished report.Google Scholar
Millett, M. 1990. The romanisation of Britain: an essay in archaeological interpretation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
O’connor, T.P. 1988. Bones from the General Accident Site, Tanner Row, The Archaeology of York 15(2): 61–136. London: Council for British Archaeology.Google Scholar
O’connor, T.P. 1991. On the lack of bones of the ship rat Rattus rattus from Dark Age York, Journal of Zoology, London 224: 318–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ottaway, P. 1993. Roman York. London: Batsford.Google Scholar
Rackham, D.J. 1979. Rattus rattus. The introduction of the black rat into Britain, Antiquity 53: 112–20.Google ScholarPubMed
Rackham, D.J. 1980. Note on black rat remains from the well, pp. 142–3 in Hall, A.R. Kenward, H.K. & Williams, D., Environmental evidence from Roman deposits in Skeldergate, The Archaeology of York 14(3): 101–56. London: Council for British Archaeology.Google Scholar
Williams, V. 1989. Finds from the Waterside, in Jones, (ed.): 8–11.Google Scholar
Yule, B. 1990. The dark earth and late Roman London, Antiquity 64: 620–28.Google Scholar