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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]
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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 

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