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Middle Bronze Age Enclosures in the Norfolk Broads: a Case Study at Ormesby St Michael, England

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 April 2014

Nick Gilmour ,
Sarah Horlock ,
Richard Mortimer  and
Sophie Tremlett
Nick Gilmour
Affiliation:
Oxford Archaeology East, 15 Trafalgar Way, Bar Hill, Cambridge, CB23 8SQ. Email: [email protected]
Sarah Horlock
Affiliation:
Historic Environment Service, Union House, Gressenhall, Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 4DR. Email: [email protected]
Richard Mortimer
Affiliation:
Oxford Archaeology East, 15 Trafalgar Way, Bar Hill, Cambridge, CB23 8SQ. Email: [email protected]
Sophie Tremlett
Affiliation:
Historic Environment Service, Union House, Gressenhall, Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 4DR. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Remnant field systems and enclosures are key indicators of social change during the 2nd millennium bc – their study has considerable significance in terms of interpreting the Bronze Age in the eastern region. Despite widespread current interest in the topic, little if any evidence for Middle Bronze Age settlement and land division had been found in Norfolk prior to the investigations at Ormesby St Michael which form the focus of this paper. Here, archaeological excavations uncovered evidence for strip field systems, succeeded by a large and well dated enclosure containing at least two structures. These results are supplemented by cropmark evidence for other elements of the enclosure produced by the National Mapping Programme. When combined, the findings are of great significance since they indicate a Middle Bronze Age date for numerous comparable cropmarks recorded across the region as part of the National Mapping Programme, emphasising the crucial value of such work. It can now be suggested that the apparent dearth of Bronze Age field systems in Norfolk is not 'real', but the combined effect of limited excavation of such sites and misinterpretation of those that have been investigated.

Résumé

Enclos de l’âge du bronze moyen dans les marécages du Norfolk: une étude de cas à Ormesby St Michael, Angleterre, de Nick Gilmour, Sarah Horlock, Richard Mortimer, et Sophie Tremlett

Les restes de systèmes de champs et d’enclos sont des indicateurs clés de changements sociaux au cours du IIe millénaire av.J.-C., leur étude a une portée considérable en termes d’interprétation de l’âge du bronze dans la région est. Malgré l’étendue de l’intérêt actuel porté à ce sujet, peu, voire aucun témoignage d’occupation et de division des terres à l’âge du bronze moyen n’a été découvert dans le Norfolk avant les investigations d’Ormesby St Michael qui constituent le point central de cet article. Là les excavations archéologiques ont révélé des témoignages de systèmes de champs en bandes, auxquels a succédé un important enclos bien daté contenant au moins deux structures. Ces résultats sont complétés par des témoignages d’anomalies dans les récoltes pour d’autres éléments de l’enclos produits par le Programme National de Cartographie. Quand on les rapproche, ces découvertes sont extrémement significatives puisqu’elles indiquent une date de l’âge du bronze moyen pour de nombreuses anomalies comparables enregistrées dans des cultures de toute la région dans le cadre du Programme national de Cartographie, ce qui accentue la valeur cruciale de tels travaux. On peut maintenant suggérer, que l’apparente pénurie de systèmes de champs de l’âge de bronze dans le Norfolk n’est pas ‘réelle’, mais l’effet combiné du nombre limité de fouilles de ces sites et de l’interprétation erronée de celles qui ont été examinées.

Zusammenfassung

Erdwerke der Mittelbronzezeit in den Norfolk Broads: Eine Fallstudie in Ormesby St Michael, England, von Nick Gilmour, Sarah Horlock, Richard Mortimer, und Sophie Tremlett

Die Überreste von Feldsystemen und Erdwerken sind Schlüsselindikatoren für den sozialen Wandel während des zweiten Jahrtausends v.Chr.; ihre Untersuchung ist von entscheidender Bedeutung für die Interpretation der Bronzezeit im östlichen England. Trotz eines breiten gegenwärtigen Interesses an diesem Thema liegen bislang wenige bis keine Hinweise aus Norfolk für mittelbronzezeitliche Siedlungen und Landaufteilungen vor, bis auf die Untersuchungen in Ormesby St Michael, die den Kern dieses Beitrags bilden. Archäologische Ausgrabungen erbrachten hier Hinweise auf Streifenfeldersysteme, denen ein großes und gut datiertes Erdwerk folgte, das aus mindestens zwei Strukturen bestand. Diese Ergebnisse werden ergänzt durch Bewuchsmerkmale, die vom National Mapping Programme gewonnen wurden, die Hinweise auf weitere Elemente der Anlage liefern. Werden diese Daten kombiniert, erweisen sich die Beobachtungen als sehr bedeutsam, da sie nahe legen, dass auch zahlreiche weitere ähnliche Bewuchsmerkmale, die in der Region im Rahmen des National Mapping Programmes dokumentiert wurden, in die mittlere Bronzezeit datieren; dies zeigt den entscheidenden Wert eines solchen Programms. Es kann jetzt angenommen werden, dass der scheinbare Mangel an Feldsystemen der Bronzezeit in Norfolk nicht „real“ ist, sondern aus der Kombination limitierter Ausgrabungen derartiger Fundplätze und der Fehlinterpretation der bislang untersuchten Plätze resultiert.

Résumen

Los recintos del Bronce Medio en Norfolks Broads: un caso de estudio en Ormesby St Michael, Inglaterra, por Nick Gilmour, Sarah Horlock, Richard Mortimer y Sophie Tremlett

Los restos de parcelas y de recintos son los principales indicadores del cambio social acontecido durante el segundo milenio bc – su estudio tiene una importancia considerable en la reinterpretación de la Edad del Bronce en la región oriental. A pesar del extendido interés que se tiene actualmente por el tema, poca o ninguna evidencia de los asentamientos y de la división de la tierra en el Bronce Medio se había documentado en Norfolk antes de las investigaciones de Ormesby St Michael, el cual constituye el objeto de atención de este trabajo. En este caso, las excavaciones arqueológicas han descubierto evidencias de sistemas de parcelas abiertas sucedidas por un amplio cercado, bien datado, que contenía al menos dos estructuras. Estos resultados se complementan con surcos de arado en otras zonas del recinto, reveladas por el National Mapping Programme. En conjunto, los hallazgos son de gran relevancia puesto que indican una cronología del Bronce Medio para numerosos campos de surcos registrados a lo largo de la región por el National Mapping Programme, destacando la crucial aportación de este trabajo. Se puede sugerir que la aparente desaparición del sistema parcelario de la Edad del Bronce en Norfolk no es “real”, sino resultante de la combinación de una escasa excavación de estos yacimientos y de una mala interpretación de los casos investigados.

Keywords

Middle Bronze Agefield systemsenclosurespost-built structuresNational Mapping Programme
Type
Articles
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 80 , December 2014 , pp. 141 - 157
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 2014 

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