Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T18:43:30.290Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Refining the Chronology of the Neolithic Settlement at Pool, Sanday, Orkney: Implications for the Emergence and Development of Grooved Ware

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2015

Ann Macsween ,
John Hunter ,
Alison Sheridan ,
Julie Bond ,
Christopher Bronk Ramsey ,
Paula Reimer ,
Alex Bayliss ,
Seren Griffiths  and
Alasdair Whittle
Ann Macsween
Affiliation:
Historic Scotland, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH
John Hunter
Affiliation:
School of History and Culture, Arts Building, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT
Alison Sheridan
Affiliation:
National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF
Julie Bond
Affiliation:
Archaeological Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1DP
Christopher Bronk Ramsey
Affiliation:
Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, Dyson Perrins Building, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY
Paula Reimer
Affiliation:
14CHRONO Centre, Queen's University Belfast, 42 Fitzwilliam Street, Belfast, BT9 6AX
Alex Bayliss
Affiliation:
Scientific Dating, English Heritage, 1 Waterhouse Square, 138–42 Holborn, London EC1N 2ST
Seren Griffiths
Affiliation:
Department of History, Politics and Philosophy, Manchester Metropolitan University, Geoffrey Manton Building, Rosamond Street West, Off Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6LL
Alasdair Whittle
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and Conservation, Cardiff University, John Percival Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff CF10 3EU Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

New radiocarbon dates for the Neolithic settlement at Pool on Sanday, Orkney, are interpreted in a formal chronological framework. Phases 2.2 and 2.3, during which flat-based Grooved Ware pottery with incised decoration developed, have been modelled as probably dating to between the 31st and 28th centuries cal bc. There followed a hiatus of a century or so, before the resumption of occupation in Phase 3, which has a different Grooved Ware style featuring the use of applied decoration. This has been modelled as probably dating from the 26th to the 24th centuries cal bc. The implications of these results are discussed for the emergence and development of Grooved Ware, and for the trajectory of settlement and monumentality on Sanday.

Résumé

Raffinenement de la chronologie de l’occupation néolithique de Pool, Sanday, Orkney:implications pour l’émergence et le développement de la poterie cannelée, de Ann MacSween, John Hunter, Alison Sheridan, Julie Bond, Christopher Bronk Ramsey, Paula Reimer, Alex Bayliss, Seren Griffiths, et Alasdair Whittle

Des nouvelles dates au radiocarbone de l’occupation néolithique de Pool sur l’île de Sanday, Orkney sont interprétées dans un cadre chronologique formel. La modélisation des phases 2.2 et 2.3 pendant lesquelles la Poterie Cannelée à fond plat avec décoration incisée s’est développée, a donné des dates probables entre le XXXIe et leXXVIIIe siècle av.J.-C. en années calibrées. Il s’en est suivi d’un hiatus de plus ou moins un siècle avant la reprise de l’occupation dans sa phase 3, qui démontre un style différent de Poterie Cannelée qui comporte l’utilisation de décoration appliquée. Sa modélisation indique des dates probables d’entre le XXVIe et le XXIVe siècle av.J.-C. en années calibrées. Nous discutons les implications de ces résultats sur l’émergence et le développement de la Poterie Cannelée et sur la trajectoire de l’occupation et de la monumentalité sur Sanday.

Zussamenfassung

Eine Verfeinerung der Chronologie der neolithischen Siedlung von Pool, Sanday, Orkney und ihre Bedeutung für die Entstehung und Entwicklung der Grooved Ware, von Ann MacSween, John Hunter, Alison Sheridan, Julie Bond, Christopher Bronk Ramsey, Paula Reimer, Alex Bayliss, Seren Griffiths, und Alasdair Whittle

Neue Radiokarbondaten der neolithischen Siedlung von Pool auf Sanday, Orkney, werden innerhalb eines formalen chronologischen Rahmens bewertet. Die Phasen 2.2 und 2.3, innerhalb derer sich die flachbodige Grooved Ware mit Ritzverzierung entwickelte, datieren nach diesem Modell wahrscheinlich zwischen das 31. und 28. Jahrhundert cal bc. Es folgte ein Hiatus von etwa einem Jahrhundert bevor die Besiedlung in Phase 3 wieder aufgenommen wurde, die eine andersartige Grooved Ware aufweist mit der Verwendung applizierter Dekorationen. Diese datiert wahrscheinlich vom 26. bis ins 24. Jahrhundert cal bc. Die Bedeutung dieser Ergebnisse für die Entstehung und Entwicklung der Grooved Ware und für die Entwicklung von Besiedlung und Monumentalität auf Sanday wird diskutiert.

Resumen

Precisando la cronología del asentamiento neolítico de Pool, Sanday, Orkney: implicaciones para la emergencia y desarrollo de la cerámica acanalada, por Ann MacSween, John Hunter, Alison Sheridan, Julie Bond, Christopher Bronk Ramsey, Paula Reimer, Alex Bayliss, Seren Griffiths, y Alasdair Whittle

Las nuevas dataciones radiocarbónicas del asentamiento neolítico de Pool en Sanday, Orkney, se interpretan en un marco cronológico formal. Las fases 2.2 y 2.3, durante las cuales se desarrollan las cerámicas acanaladas de base plana y decoración incisa, se han modelizado como datadas probablemente entre los siglos 31 y 28 cal bc. Están seguidas por un hiato de aproximadamente un siglo, antes de la reanudación de la ocupación en la fase 3, la cual tiene un estilo diferente de cerámica acanalada caracterizada por el uso de decoración aplicada. Según el modelo planteado este cambio se ha datado cronológicamente entre los siglos 26 y 24 cal bc. Las implicaciones de estos resultados se valoran en relación con la aparición y desarrollo de las cerámicas acanaladas y con la evolución del asentamiento y de la monumentalidad en Sanday.

Keywords

Grooved WareNeolithicradiocarbon datesBayesian modellingOrkney
Type
Articles
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 81 , December 2015 , pp. 283 - 310
Copyright
© The Prehistoric Society 2015 

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

Ashmore, P. 1998. Radiocarbon dates for settlements, tombs and ceremonial sites with Grooved Ware in Scotland. In A. Gibson & D. Simpson (eds), Prehistoric Ritual and Religion, 139–147. Stroud: Sutton Google Scholar
Ashmore, P.J. 2004. Absolute chronology. In I.A. Shepherd & G.J. Barclay (eds), Scotland in Ancient Europe: the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age of Scotland in their European context, 125–136. Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Google Scholar
Ashmore, P. 2005. Dating Barnhouse. In Richards (ed.) 2005, 385–8Google Scholar
Bayliss, A. & O’Sullivan, M. 2013. Interpreting chronologies for the Mound of the Hostages, Tara, and its contemporary context in Neolithic and Bronze Age Ireland. In M. O’Sullivan, C. Scarre & M. Doyle (eds), Tara – from the past to the future: towards a new research agenda, 26–104. Dublin: Wordwell Google Scholar
Bond, J.M. 2007. The bioarchaeological evidence. In Hunter 2007, 169–285Google Scholar
Bond, J., Braby, S.J., Dockrill, S.J, Downes, J. & Richards, C. 1995. Stove Bay, a new Orcadian Grooved Ware settlement. Scottish Archaeological Review 9/10, 125–130 Google Scholar
Brindley, A. 1999. Sequence and dating in the Grooved Ware tradition. In Cleal & MacSween (eds) 1999, 133–44Google Scholar
Brock, F., Higham, T., Ditchfield, P. & Bronk Ramsey, C. 2010. Current pretreatment methods for AMS radiocarbon dating at the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (ORAU). Radiocarbon 52, 103–112 Google Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C. 1995. Radiocarbon calibration and analysis of stratigraphy: the OxCal program. Radiocarbon 36, 425–430 Google Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C. 2009. Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon dates. Radiocarbon 51, 337–360 Google Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C., Higham, T. & Leach, P. 2004. Towards high-precision AMS: progress and limitations. Radiocarbon 46, 17–24 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buck, C.E., Cavanagh, W.G. & Litton, C.D. 1996. Bayesian Approach to Interpreting Archaeological Data. Chichester: Wiley Google Scholar
Card, N. 2013. The Ness of Brodgar. Current Archaeology January/February 2013, 14–21 Google Scholar
Childe, V.G. 1931. Skara Brae: a Pictish village in Orkney. London: Kegan Paul Google Scholar
Childe, V.G. 1952. Re-excavation of the chambered cairn of Quoyness, Sanday, on behalf of the Ministry of Works in 1951–52. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 86, 121–139 Google Scholar
Clarke, D.V. 1976. The Neolithic Village at Skara Brae, Orkney: 1972–73 excavations. Edinburgh: Department of the Environment & Her Majesty’s Stationery Office Google Scholar
Clarke, D.V. 1983. Rinyo and the Orcadian Neolithic. In A. O’Connor & D.V. Clarke (eds), From the Stone Age to the ’Forty-five: studies presented to R B K Stevenson, 45–56. Edinburgh: John Donald Google Scholar
Clarke, D.V. 2012. Skara Brae: the official souvenir guide. Edinburgh: Historic Scotland Google Scholar
Clarke, D.V., Cowie, T. & Foxon, A. 1985. Symbols of Power at the Time of Stonehenge. Edinburgh: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office Google Scholar
Cleal, R. 1999. Introduction: the what, where, when and why of Grooved Ware. In Cleal & MacSween (eds) 1999, 1–8Google Scholar
Cleal, R. & MacSween, A. (eds) 1999. Grooved Ware in Britain and Ireland. Oxford: Oxbow Books Google Scholar
Cooney, G., Bayliss, A., Healy, F., Whittle, A., Danaher, E., Cagney, L., Mallory, J., Smyth, J., Kador, T. & O’Sullivan, M. 2011. Chapter 12: Ireland. In A. Whittle, F. Healy & A. Bayliss, Gathering Time: dating the early Neolithic enclosures of southern Britain and Ireland, 562–669. Oxford: Oxbow Books Google Scholar
Cowie, T., Barnett, R. & MacSween, A. 1999. Grooved Ware from Scotland: a review. In Cleal & MacSween (eds) 1999, 48–56Google Scholar
Cucchi, T., Barnett, R., Martínkova, N., Renaud, S., Renvoisé, E., Evin, A., Sheridan, J.A., Mainland, I., Wickham-Jones, C., Tougard, C., Quéré, J.-P., Pascal, M., Pascal, M., Heckel, G., O'Higgins, P., Searle, J.B. & Dobney, K.M. 2014. The changing pace of insular life: 5000 years of microevolution in the Orkney vole (Microtus arvalis orcadensis). Evolution 2014, doi: 10.1111/evo.12476 Google Scholar
Davidson, J.L. & Henshall, A.S. 1989. The Chambered Cairns of Orkney: an inventory of the structures and their contents. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Google Scholar
Dee, M. & Bronk Ramsey, C. 2000. Refinement of graphite target production at ORAU. Nuclear Instruments and Methods Physics Research B, 172, 449–453 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dockrill, S.J., with Bond, J.M., Smith, A.N. & Nicholson, R.A 2007. Investigations in Sanday, Orkney. Vol 2: Tofts Ness, Sanday. An island landscape through 3000 years of prehistory. Kirkwall: the Orcadian Ltd in association with Historic Scotland Google Scholar
Dockrill, S.J. & Bond, J.M. 2009. Sustainability and resilience in prehistoric North Atlantic Britain: the importance of a mixed palaeoeconomic system. Journal of the North Atlantic 2, 33–50 Google Scholar
Duller, G.A.T. 2008. Luminescence Dating: guidelines on using luminescence dating in archaeology. Swindon: English Heritage Google Scholar
Garwood, P. 1999. Grooved Ware in southern Britain: chronology and interpretation. In Cleal & MacSween (eds) 1999, 145–176 Google Scholar
Gibson, J. & Bradford, F. 2008. Rising Tides: the loss of coastal heritage in Orkney. Lerwick: Shetland Times Google Scholar
Gillespie, R., Gowlett, J., Hall, E., Hedges, R. & Perry, C. 1985. Radiocarbon dates from the Oxford AMS system: Archaeometry datelist 2. Archaeometry 27, 237–346 Google Scholar
Gowlett, J., Hedges, R., Law, I. & Perry, C. 1987. Radiocarbon dates from the Oxford AMS system: Archaeometry datelist 5. Archaeometry 29, 125–155 Google Scholar
Grogan, E. & Roche, H. 2010. Clay and fire: the development and distribution of pottery traditions in prehistoric Ireland. In M. Stanley, E. Danaher & J. Eogan (eds), Creative Minds, 27–45. Dublin: National Roads Authority Google Scholar
Hedges, R. 1981. Radiocarbon dating with an accelerator: review and preview. Archaeometry 23, 1–18 Google Scholar
Henshall, A. 1972. The Chambered Tombs of Scotland: Volume Two. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Google Scholar
Hunter, J.R. 2000. Pool, Sanday, and a sequence for the Orcadian Neolithic. In A. Ritchie (ed.), Neolithic Orkney in its European Context, 117–125. Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research Google Scholar
Hunter, J., with Bond, J.M. and Smith, A.N. 2007. Investigations in Sanday, Orkney. Vol 1: excavations at Pool, Sanday. A multi-period settlement from Neolithic to Late Norse times. Kirkwall: The Orcadian Ltd in association with Historic Scotland Google Scholar
Hunter, J.R. & MacSween, A. 1991. A sequence for the Orcadian Neolithic. Antiquity 65, 911–914 Google Scholar
Jones, A. 2005. The Grooved Ware from Barnhouse. In Richards (ed.) 2005, 261–82Google Scholar
Kinnes, I.A. 1985. Circumstance not context: the Neolithic of Scotland as seen from outside. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 115, 15–57 Google Scholar
Lamb, R.G. 1980. The Archaeological Sites and Monuments of Sanday and North Ronaldsay. Edinburgh: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland Google Scholar
Lawrence, D.M. 2012. Orkney’s First Farmers: reconstructing biographies from osteological analysis to gain insights into life and society in a Neolithic community on the edge of Atlantic Europe. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of BradfordGoogle Scholar
MacSween, A. 1990. The Neolithic and Iron Age Pottery from Pool, Sanday, Orkney: an archaeological, technological and analytical study. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of BradfordGoogle Scholar
MacSween, A. 1992. Orcadian Grooved Ware. In Sharples & Sheridan (eds) 1992, 259–71Google Scholar
MacSween, A. 1995. Grooved Ware from Scotland: aspects of decoration. In I. Kinnes & G. Varndell (eds) Unbaked Urns of Rudely Shape: essays on British and Irish pottery for Ian Longworth, 41–48. Oxbow: Oxbow Books Google Scholar
MacSween, A. 2007a. The pottery. In Hunter 2007, 287–353Google Scholar
MacSween, A. 2007b. The Meldon Bridge period: the pottery from south and east Scotland twenty years on. In C. Burgess, P. Topping & F. Lynch (eds), Beyond Stonehenge: essays on the Bronze Age in honour of Colin Burgess, 367–376. Oxford: Oxbow Books Google Scholar
MacSween, A. 2007c. The pottery. In Dockrill 2007, 259–85Google Scholar
Moore, H. & Wilson, G. 2011. Shifting Sands. Links of Noltland, Westray: interim report on Neolithic and Bronze Age excavations, 2007–09. Edinburgh: Historic Scotland Google Scholar
Noakes, J., Kim, S. & Stipp, J. 1965. Chemical and counting advances in Liquid Scintillation Age dating. In E.A. Olsson & R.M. Chatters (eds), Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Radiocarbon and Tritium Dating, 68–92. Washington DC: Pullman Google Scholar
Parker Pearson, M. 2012. Stonehenge: exploring the greatest Stone Age mystery. London: Simon & Schuster Google Scholar
Peterkin, A. 1820. Rentals of Orkney. KirkwallGoogle Scholar
Piggott, S. 1936. Grooved Ware, 191–201 in S.H. Warren, S. Piggott, J.G.D. Clark, M.C. Burkitt, H. Godwin & M.E. Godwin, Archaeology of the submerged land surface of the Essex coast. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 2, 178–210Google Scholar
Reimer, P.J., Bard, E., Bayliss, A., Beck, J.W., Blackwell, P., Bronk Ramsey, C., Buck, C.E., Cheng, H., Edwards, R.L., Friedrich, M., Grootes, P.M., Guilderson, T.P., Haflidason, H., Hajdas, I., Hatté, C., Heaton, T.J., Hoffmann, D.L., Hogg, A.G., Hughen, K.A., Kaiser, K.F., Kromer, B., Manning, S.W., Niu, M., Reimer, R.W., Richards, D.A., Scott, E.M., Southon, J.R., Staff, R.A., Turney, C.S.M. & van der Plicht, J. 2013. IntCal13 and Marine13 radiocarbon age calibration curves 0–50,000 years cal bp . Radiocarbon 55, 1869–1887 Google Scholar
Reimer, P., Hoper, S., MacDonald, J., Reimer, R. & Thompson, M. 2015. Laboratory Protocols used for AMS Radiocarbon Dating at the 14CHRONO Centre, The Queen’s University Belfast. Swindon: English Heritage Research Report Series 5 Google Scholar
Renfrew, C. 1979. Investigations in Orkney. London: Society of Antiquaries Google Scholar
Renfrew, C. 1985. Introduction. In C. Renfrew (ed.), The Prehistory of Orkney: bc 4000–1000 ad , 1–9. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Google Scholar
Richards, C. (ed.) 2005. Dwelling Among the Monuments: the Neolithic village of Barnhouse, Maeshowe passage grave and surrounding monuments at Stenness, Orkney. Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research Google Scholar
Richards, C. (ed.) 2013. Building the Great Stone Circles of the North. Oxford: Windgather Press Google Scholar
Richards, C. & Jones, R. (eds) in press. The Development of Neolithic House Societies in Orkney. Oxford: Windgather Press Google Scholar
Ritchie, J.N.G. 1976. The Stones of Stenness, Orkney. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 107, 1–60 Google Scholar
Schulting, R., Sheridan, J.A., Crozier, R. & Murphy, E. 2010. Revisiting Quanterness: new AMS dates and stable isotope data from an Orcadian chamber tomb. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 140, 1–50 Google Scholar
Schulting, R.J., Bronk Ramsey, C., Reimer, P., Eogan, G., Cleary, R., Cooney, G. & Sheridan, J.A. forthcoming. Dating Neolithic human remains at Knowth. In G. Eogan, Excavations at Knowth 6: the Neolithic archaeology of the large passage tomb 1 at Knowth, Co. Meath. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy Google Scholar
Sharples, N. 1984. Excavations at Pierowall Quarry, Westray, Orkney. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 114, 75–125 Google Scholar
Sharples, N. 1985. Individual and community: the changing role of megaliths in the Orcadian Neolithic. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 51, 59–76 Google Scholar
Sharples, N. 1992. Aspects of regionalisation in the Scottish Neolithic. In Sharples & Sheridan (eds) 1992, 322–31Google Scholar
Sharples, N. & Sheridan, J.A. (eds) 1992. Vessels for the Ancestors: essays on the Neolithic of Britain and Ireland in honour of Audrey Henshall. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Google Scholar
Sheridan, J.A. 1999. Grooved Ware from the Links of Noltland, Westray, Orkney. In Cleal & MacSween (eds) 1999, 112–24Google Scholar
Sheridan, J.A. 2004. Going round in circles? Understanding the Irish ‘Grooved Ware complex’ in its wider context. In H. Roche, E. Grogan, D.G. Bradley, J. Coles & B. Raftery (eds), From Megaliths to Metals: essays in honour of George Eogan, 26–37. Oxford: Oxbow Books Google Scholar
Sheridan, J.A. 2014. Little and large: the miniature ‘carved stone ball’ beads from the eastern passage tomb under the main mound at Knowth, Ireland, and their broader significance. In R.-M. Arbogast & A. Greffier-Richard (eds), Entre archéologie et écologie, une préhistoire de tous les milieux. Mélanges offerts à Pierre Pétrequin, 1–12. Besançon: Presses Universitaires de Franche-Comté Google Scholar
Sheridan, J.A. & Brophy, K. 2012. ScARF Neolithic Panel Report. Scottish Archaeological Research Framework: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Available online at http://www.scottishheritagehub.com/content/scarf-neolithic-panel-report Google Scholar
Sheridan, J.A., Clarke, D. & Shepherd, A. 2012a. Radiocarbon dates for Skara Brae, Orkney. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 13, 204–205 Google Scholar
Sheridan, J.A., Goldberg, M., Blackwell, A., Mahler, D., Richards, M., Duffy, P., Gibson, A., Macniven, A. & Caldwell, D. 2012b. Radiocarbon dates associated with the Scottish History and Archaeology Department, National Museums Scotland 2011/12. Discovery & Excavation in Scotland 13, 200–204 Google Scholar
Simpson, D. & Ransom, R. 1992. Maceheads and the Orcadian Neolithic. In Sharples & Sheridan (eds) 1992, 221–43Google Scholar
Spencer, J.Q.G. & Sanderson, D.C.W. 2012. Decline in firing technology or poorer fuel resources? High-temperature thermoluminescence (HTTL) archaeothermometry of Neolithic ceramics from Pool, Sanday, Orkney. Journal of Archaeological Science 39, 3542–3552 Google Scholar
Stenhouse, M. & Baxter, M. 1983. 14C dating reproducibility: evidence from routine dating of archaeological samples. PACT 8, 147–161 Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. & Polach, H.A. 1977. Reporting of 14C data. Radiocarbon 19, 355–363 Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. & Reimer, P.J. 1993. Extended 14C data base and revised CALIB 3.0 14C age calibration program. Radiocarbon 35, 215–230 Google Scholar
Thomas, J. 2010. The return of the Rinyo-Clacton folk? The cultural significance of the Grooved Ware complex in Later Neolithic Britain. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 20, 1–15 Google Scholar
Wainwright, G.J. & Longworth, I.H. 1971. The Rinyo-Clacton culture re-considered. In G.J. Wainwright & I.H. Longworth, Durrington Walls: excavations 1966–1968, 235–306. London: Society of Antiquaries Google Scholar
Ward, G.K. & Wilson, S.R. 1978. Procedures for comparing and combining radiocarbon age determinations: a critique. Archaeometry 20, 19–31 Google Scholar
Whittle, A. 1997. Moving on and moving around: modelling Neolithic settlement mobility. In P. Topping (ed.), Neolithic Landscapes, 15–22. Oxford: Oxbow Books Google Scholar