Papers by Don P O'Meara
Whose Heritage?: Challenging Race and Identity in Stuart Hall’s Post-nation Britain, 2023
The process of codifying the ‘national story’ is a part of state formation proceeding more tangib... more The process of codifying the ‘national story’ is a part of state formation proceeding more tangible state structures, such as borders and government institutions. This national story can often undergo radical reassessment but, crucially, is often presented as consistent and inevitable. Thus, attempts to question or revise this story can be seen by some as an attack on the nation itself (as seen with the contemporary so-called ‘Culture War’). Using Hall’s ‘Whose Heritage?’ themes, this paper highlights the complexity of the insular colonisation of the UK and the uneasy steps of an inconsistent national story. Popular protest, the struggle for fundamental rights, and anti-Establishment resistance (and counter-resistance) are not the preserve of any position on the political spectrum, of any religious community, or of any minoritised group. Rather, they are a part of the national story of all those who live in Britain. It is argued that, through understanding, embracing and celebrating the inconsistencies of the national story, contemporary British society can understand and frame the social and political changes being experienced in the 21st century within the broader context of British history and not as new forces seeking to destroy a monolithic ‘national story’.
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This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstron... more This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology on land at Low Crosby, near Carlisle, Cumbria. The work has revealed evidence for medieval activity, utilising small-scale farming practices. The limited evidence revealed suggests that the activity may relate to a farmstead, possibly on the periphery of a larger settlement. Whilst rural settlements are relatively well recorded within the region for this period, very few have produced evidence for associated agricultural practices. Of particular significance was the discovery of a probable corn-drying kiln of medieval date. Whilst other well-preserved corn-drying kilns have been excavated from around the country, very few comparable examples are known from Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant discovery. The investigation also highlighted ...
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Review of: Valdez-Tullett, J. (2019). Design and Connectivity: The Case of Atlantic Rock Art. (BA... more Review of: Valdez-Tullett, J. (2019). Design and Connectivity: The Case of Atlantic Rock Art. (BAR Internat. Series, 2932). Oxford: BAR. 286 pages, 172 figures (31 in colour), 61 graphs (39 in colour). Supplemental material online (figures and graphs). ISBN 9781407316628
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C&W AAS, 2019
This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in
2016 by Wa... more This short paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken in
2016 by Wardell Armstrong on land at Fitz Park, near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The
work revealed evidence of an Iron Age oval enclosure overlain by a Romano-British
field system. This paper takes into account and briefly summarises for the first time
the unpublished investigations in the wider area around Derventio Roman fort and the
Romano-British civilian settlement revealed through excavation during 2010-2014.
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Archaeologia Aeliana, 2018
This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken at the former Parcels... more This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations undertaken at the former Parcels Office on Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, which was conducted in advance of the con version of the listed railway arches and the construction of a new hotel. The archaeological investigations have provided evidence of activity on the site from the Roman period through to the early twentieth century. This evidence suggests that the site was situated on the periphery of the civilian settle ment associated with the Roman fort of Pons Aelius. The site was not intensively occupied until the thirteenth century, a period which included small-scale tanning activities and the beginnings of what would become the fully established Westgate Street. Most significantly, the investigations have shown that significant archaeological remains can still occur, even in the most heavily urbanised areas. INTRODUCTI ON n 2010, North Pennines Archaeology Ltd were commissioned by Sleeperz Ltd to undertake a programme of archaeological investigation at the former Parcels Office, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne (centred on NZ 424870 563900; fig. 1). The project was carried out prior to and during the development of the listed railway arches and the construction of a new hotel. The site is situated within a triangular piece of land that was previously in use as parcel offices from 1906 until 1991 and is located within the historic parish of St. John, approximately 50 m east of Newcastle Central Station and 100 m north of the River Tyne. The area is well known for its archaeological potential, being situated close to Hadrian's Wall, the Roman fort of Pons Aelius and the remains of a medieval castle. The sites location led Jennifer Morrison of the Tyne and Wear Specialist Conservation Team to request a programme of archaeological excavation and monitoring prior to, and during the develop ment. The first phase of work included the excavation of two open areas, which measured 62 m 2 and 88 m 2 , totalling an area of 150 m 2 , and a contemporaneous watching brief on the site of the former Parcels Office. The second phase of archaeological work consisted of a structured watching brief, which monitored all works within the listed railway arches and the installation of new services for the newly constructed hotel. This paper presents the results of this archaeological work and an interpretation of the evidence in the context of the wider area of the site.
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This paper presents the results of a large scale sieving program that was undertaken as part of t... more This paper presents the results of a large scale sieving program that was undertaken as part of the excavation of a 19th-century crypt in Villiers Street, Sunderland, in northeast England. The paper discusses the role of sampling strategies within the collection of osteoarchaeological remains and how they compare with other fields, namely archaeobotany and archaeozoology. The results from the sieving program at Villiers Street are then presented, particularly the discussion of the numbers and types of bones most often collected in the sieve. It is argued that in the excavation and recovery of human bone a detailed knowledge of the human skeleton is essential to good excavation practice. It is also argued that further contributions of this nature from researchers in other geographical regions, and those working on material from other archaeological periods would bolster the osteoarchaeological community by providing empirical evidence for conducting sieving programs as an essential part of the collection of human remains, and not as an added luxury, or as something restricted to the those working in a ‘research’ environment.
The paper is published in the edited volume: Holst, M and Alexander, M. 2018. Trends in Biological Anthropology 2. Oxbow Books.
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Trial excavations on a ploughed out DMV demonstrated the survival of some archaeological features... more Trial excavations on a ploughed out DMV demonstrated the survival of some archaeological features. Medieval pits and a large ditch were excavated. Evidence of iron working was recovered along with a medieval seal matrix.
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Magnetometry surveys at the early ecclesiastical centres of Clonca and Carrowmore on the Inishowe... more Magnetometry surveys at the early ecclesiastical centres of Clonca and Carrowmore on the Inishowen peninsula of Co Donegal have shown new evidence of double-circle precincts. A set of calibrated radiocarbon dates within the range 6th–12th centuries from excavation of the precinct boundary ditches at Carrowmore confirms occupation in the early medieval era. The field evidence for early ecclesiastical enclosures throughout the peninsula is reviewed. The landscape context of the two case studies is evaluated through magnetometry survey of Gorey ringfort and the hillfort of Crockaughrim as part of a field appraisal of their hinterland and of the territorial unit of Magh Tóchuir.
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This article presents the results of two archaeological investigations undertaken on land at Scot... more This article presents the results of two archaeological investigations undertaken on land at Scotby Road, Durranhill, Carlisle, which revealed signifi cant evidence of occupation during the late Neolithic and Romano-British periods, as well as limited evidence for activity during the middle Neolithic, Bronze Age and possibly Iron Age.
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This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstron... more This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology on land at Low Crosby, near Carlisle, Cumbria. The work
has revealed evidence for medieval activity, utilising small-scale farming practices. The limited evidence revealed suggests that the activity may relate to a farmstead, possibly on the periphery of a larger settlement. Whilst rural settlements are relatively well recorded within the region for this period, very few have produced evidence for associated agricultural practices. Of particular significance was the discovery of a probable corn-drying kiln of medieval date. Whilst other well-preserved corn-drying kilns have been excavated from around the country, very few comparable examples are known from
Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant
discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British
period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.
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This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstron... more This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology at Peter Gate, Cumwhinton, near Carlisle, Cumbria. The work has revealed significant evidence for pottery manufacture on, or very close to, the site which appears to have been established during the late twelfth century. This is significant as almost no other production sites are known in north Cumbria, especially outside the urban centre of Carlisle and the medieval ceramic traditions as a whole within the rural hinterlands of Carlisle remain poorly understood. One of the other significant outcomes of the excavation was the discovery of a substantial post-medieval corn-drying kiln.
Environmental analysis has revealed evidence for medieval and post-medieval cropping activity, corn-field weed ecology and construction methods associated with the corn-drying kiln, as well as the final function of the kiln, which was used for milling rather than threshing or brewing.
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A previous programme of archaeological assessment and evaluation at this site had revealed the pr... more A previous programme of archaeological assessment and evaluation at this site had revealed the presence of a Roman enclosure and possible Bronze Age activity. Nearly eighty similar enclosures have been detected as cropmarks on aerial photographs within Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and West Lancashire, but very little archaeological investigation has so far taken place. Further excavation of the Southworth site was undertaken in 2013 in advance of proposed quarrying and landfill operations. This covered an open area measuring c 0.5ha, targeted over what remained of the enclosure, which was confirmed to be a rural settlement of second century AD date. Other plough-truncated features were recorded within and beyond the enclosure. The features outside the site may be medieval, but there was no evidence of prehistoric activity. The project has highlighted the destructive nature of agriculture at the Southworth site, with implications for the future management of similar sites across the region.
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This session aims to explore how food choice and alimentary practices in Europe changed through t... more This session aims to explore how food choice and alimentary practices in Europe changed through time, but also how these changes may be linked to culture, technological innovations, shifting borders and the rise and fall of civilizations. The session organizers encourage researchers who have successfully studied different cultures or periods, passing existing cultural or political borders (e.g. including material from two or more different cultures or European countries) or comparing rural environments to towns to submit a proposal, as well as those researchers who have encountered difficulties when trying to operate projects which cross cultural or political boundaries.
Possible research topics to address:
- What food types are ‘invisible’ in the environmental record, and what can we do to address this?
- Dictated changes in crop cultivation in regions under foreign occupation
- The effect of famine on the choices of crop cultivation
- Reconstructed food distribution routes
- Trends in food and medicine
- The assimilation of “new” or “exotic” foods in periods with large migrations
- Town and rural hinterland relationships
- The influence of the “culinary revolution”, the import of overseas products in the 17th and 18th century, on the European city diet.
- The industrial revolution and its impact on the nature of food production.
Practical information:
The organization welcomes papers in English. Candidates are invited to submit a title and abstract of 300 words maximum before February 15th 2016. The abstract, accompanied by the affiliation and address data of the candidate, can be uploaded via the registration system for papers/posters at the conference website: http://eaavilnius2016.lt/.
Candidates will be informed regarding the acceptance of their proposals by the 15th of March.
Session organizers:
Dr. Julian Wiethold, Institute national de recherches archéologiques preventives (Inrap), Direction interrégionale Grand Est nord, Laboratoire archéobotaniques, 12, rue de Méric, F-57063 Metz cedex 2,
julian.wiethold@inrap.fr
Merit Hondelink, MA, Archeodienst Noord bv, Osloweg 95, 9723 BK Groningen
mmahondelink@gmail.com
Don O’Meara, Durham University, Dawson Building, Department of Archaeology, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE
donomeara@gmail.com
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This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstron... more This paper presents the results of an archaeological investigation undertaken by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology on land at Low Crosby, near Carlisle, Cumbria. The work has revealed evidence for medieval activity, utilising small-scale farming practices. The limited evidence revealed suggests that the activity may relate to a farmstead, possibly on the periphery of a larger settlement. Whilst rural settlements are relatively well recorded within the region for this period, very few have produced evidence for associated agricultural practices. Of particular significance was the discovery of a probable corndrying kiln of medieval date. Whilst other well-preserved corn-drying kilns have been excavated from around the country, very few comparable examples are known from
Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant
discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British
period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and
radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.
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Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmoreland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 2014
A report on the environmental remains (charred macroplant and charcoal) from a corn-dryer. The si... more A report on the environmental remains (charred macroplant and charcoal) from a corn-dryer. The site is located in Cumwhinton, near Carlisle, Cumbria, Northwest England. The report also includes details on the excavation by David Jackson, as well as specialist reports from other contributors.
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A study of the environmental remains (charred archaeobotancial material) from the Romano-British ... more A study of the environmental remains (charred archaeobotancial material) from the Romano-British enclosure at Southworth Quarry, Winwick Cheshire, 2013 excavated by Ben Moore. Includes reports on the excavation, as well as specialist reports by various authors.
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Only a small part of what once existed was buried in the ground; only a small part of what was bu... more Only a small part of what once existed was buried in the ground; only a small part of what was buried has escaped the destroying hand of time (Montelius 1888)
From an early stage in the development of the archaeological discipline there was an appreciation that the remains of the past are an incomplete record, as the quote from Montelius demonstrates. Almost a century after Montelius was writing David Clark presented his view of archaeological preservation, though in even less positive tones; “Archaeology is the discipline with the theory and practice for the recovery
of unobservable hominid behaviour patterns from indirect traces in bad samples” (Clarke 1973, 17). However, as archaeologists were appreciating the problems of the taphonomic process they were also developing models to recognise that identifying and understanding these processes could provide useful information. This information was pertinent to the understanding of the past, or for finding the
bias in the record that might lead to misunderstandings about past processes. This was exemplified from the 1970s onwards through a greater focus on natural and cultural formation processes in the archaeological record (Schiffer 1987). From an
experimental archaeology perspective the destruction of dwellings is perhaps one of the better-known (and more visually dramatic) of the taphonomic experiments. This can include deliberately burnt structures (Waldhauser 2008), or those burnt accidently which are still valuable for archaeological purposes (Flamman 2004; Tipper 2012). The topic of this paper is to discuss the contribution of experiments
in digestive taphonomy to the understanding of archaeological formation processes.
Experiments of this nature may be regarded as amongst the very earliest conducted for understanding archaeological issues and have been central to a number of important archaeological debates. They are also strongly multidisciplinary with major contributions from the fields of palaeontology and ecology.
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The theme ‘subsistence and surplus’ is very apt when discussing the topic of Medieval Christian m... more The theme ‘subsistence and surplus’ is very apt when discussing the topic of Medieval Christian monasticism. The institutions that followed the rule of Saint Benedict, such as the Cistercians, celebrated material poverty while simultaneously
amassing fortunes through regional and international trade; a paradox briefly explored by Weber (2009) in his assessment of pre-Reformation proto-capitalism (Silber 1993). However, examining this theme through studies of archaeological
remains from monastic sites challenges the discipline of environmental archaeology to recover and identify material suitable to investigate this topic. Though monastic
sites have been a consistent focus for antiquarian and archaeological interest there has not been a consistent contribution to our understanding of the phenomenon
of Medieval monasticism from the discipline of environmental archaeology. The Cistercian monastery of Holme Cultram, in Cumbria, Northwest England is used here as a case study to discuss issues relating to the application of environmental
archaeology at monastic sites. Through an examination of various strands of environmental evidence from both archaeological and documentary sources it is hoped to show that the theme ‘subsistence and surplus’ is not merely another
interesting avenue of research, but rather a central means of examining monasticism as a phenomenon of Medieval society and economy.
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Book Reviews by Don P O'Meara
A review of the three volume 'The Cambridge World Prehistory' 2012, edited by Colin Renfrew and P... more A review of the three volume 'The Cambridge World Prehistory' 2012, edited by Colin Renfrew and Paul Bahn.
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Uploads
Papers by Don P O'Meara
2016 by Wardell Armstrong on land at Fitz Park, near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The
work revealed evidence of an Iron Age oval enclosure overlain by a Romano-British
field system. This paper takes into account and briefly summarises for the first time
the unpublished investigations in the wider area around Derventio Roman fort and the
Romano-British civilian settlement revealed through excavation during 2010-2014.
The paper is published in the edited volume: Holst, M and Alexander, M. 2018. Trends in Biological Anthropology 2. Oxbow Books.
has revealed evidence for medieval activity, utilising small-scale farming practices. The limited evidence revealed suggests that the activity may relate to a farmstead, possibly on the periphery of a larger settlement. Whilst rural settlements are relatively well recorded within the region for this period, very few have produced evidence for associated agricultural practices. Of particular significance was the discovery of a probable corn-drying kiln of medieval date. Whilst other well-preserved corn-drying kilns have been excavated from around the country, very few comparable examples are known from
Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant
discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British
period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.
Environmental analysis has revealed evidence for medieval and post-medieval cropping activity, corn-field weed ecology and construction methods associated with the corn-drying kiln, as well as the final function of the kiln, which was used for milling rather than threshing or brewing.
Possible research topics to address:
- What food types are ‘invisible’ in the environmental record, and what can we do to address this?
- Dictated changes in crop cultivation in regions under foreign occupation
- The effect of famine on the choices of crop cultivation
- Reconstructed food distribution routes
- Trends in food and medicine
- The assimilation of “new” or “exotic” foods in periods with large migrations
- Town and rural hinterland relationships
- The influence of the “culinary revolution”, the import of overseas products in the 17th and 18th century, on the European city diet.
- The industrial revolution and its impact on the nature of food production.
Practical information:
The organization welcomes papers in English. Candidates are invited to submit a title and abstract of 300 words maximum before February 15th 2016. The abstract, accompanied by the affiliation and address data of the candidate, can be uploaded via the registration system for papers/posters at the conference website: http://eaavilnius2016.lt/.
Candidates will be informed regarding the acceptance of their proposals by the 15th of March.
Session organizers:
Dr. Julian Wiethold, Institute national de recherches archéologiques preventives (Inrap), Direction interrégionale Grand Est nord, Laboratoire archéobotaniques, 12, rue de Méric, F-57063 Metz cedex 2,
julian.wiethold@inrap.fr
Merit Hondelink, MA, Archeodienst Noord bv, Osloweg 95, 9723 BK Groningen
mmahondelink@gmail.com
Don O’Meara, Durham University, Dawson Building, Department of Archaeology, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE
donomeara@gmail.com
Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant
discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British
period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and
radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.
From an early stage in the development of the archaeological discipline there was an appreciation that the remains of the past are an incomplete record, as the quote from Montelius demonstrates. Almost a century after Montelius was writing David Clark presented his view of archaeological preservation, though in even less positive tones; “Archaeology is the discipline with the theory and practice for the recovery
of unobservable hominid behaviour patterns from indirect traces in bad samples” (Clarke 1973, 17). However, as archaeologists were appreciating the problems of the taphonomic process they were also developing models to recognise that identifying and understanding these processes could provide useful information. This information was pertinent to the understanding of the past, or for finding the
bias in the record that might lead to misunderstandings about past processes. This was exemplified from the 1970s onwards through a greater focus on natural and cultural formation processes in the archaeological record (Schiffer 1987). From an
experimental archaeology perspective the destruction of dwellings is perhaps one of the better-known (and more visually dramatic) of the taphonomic experiments. This can include deliberately burnt structures (Waldhauser 2008), or those burnt accidently which are still valuable for archaeological purposes (Flamman 2004; Tipper 2012). The topic of this paper is to discuss the contribution of experiments
in digestive taphonomy to the understanding of archaeological formation processes.
Experiments of this nature may be regarded as amongst the very earliest conducted for understanding archaeological issues and have been central to a number of important archaeological debates. They are also strongly multidisciplinary with major contributions from the fields of palaeontology and ecology.
amassing fortunes through regional and international trade; a paradox briefly explored by Weber (2009) in his assessment of pre-Reformation proto-capitalism (Silber 1993). However, examining this theme through studies of archaeological
remains from monastic sites challenges the discipline of environmental archaeology to recover and identify material suitable to investigate this topic. Though monastic
sites have been a consistent focus for antiquarian and archaeological interest there has not been a consistent contribution to our understanding of the phenomenon
of Medieval monasticism from the discipline of environmental archaeology. The Cistercian monastery of Holme Cultram, in Cumbria, Northwest England is used here as a case study to discuss issues relating to the application of environmental
archaeology at monastic sites. Through an examination of various strands of environmental evidence from both archaeological and documentary sources it is hoped to show that the theme ‘subsistence and surplus’ is not merely another
interesting avenue of research, but rather a central means of examining monasticism as a phenomenon of Medieval society and economy.
Book Reviews by Don P O'Meara
2016 by Wardell Armstrong on land at Fitz Park, near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The
work revealed evidence of an Iron Age oval enclosure overlain by a Romano-British
field system. This paper takes into account and briefly summarises for the first time
the unpublished investigations in the wider area around Derventio Roman fort and the
Romano-British civilian settlement revealed through excavation during 2010-2014.
The paper is published in the edited volume: Holst, M and Alexander, M. 2018. Trends in Biological Anthropology 2. Oxbow Books.
has revealed evidence for medieval activity, utilising small-scale farming practices. The limited evidence revealed suggests that the activity may relate to a farmstead, possibly on the periphery of a larger settlement. Whilst rural settlements are relatively well recorded within the region for this period, very few have produced evidence for associated agricultural practices. Of particular significance was the discovery of a probable corn-drying kiln of medieval date. Whilst other well-preserved corn-drying kilns have been excavated from around the country, very few comparable examples are known from
Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant
discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British
period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.
Environmental analysis has revealed evidence for medieval and post-medieval cropping activity, corn-field weed ecology and construction methods associated with the corn-drying kiln, as well as the final function of the kiln, which was used for milling rather than threshing or brewing.
Possible research topics to address:
- What food types are ‘invisible’ in the environmental record, and what can we do to address this?
- Dictated changes in crop cultivation in regions under foreign occupation
- The effect of famine on the choices of crop cultivation
- Reconstructed food distribution routes
- Trends in food and medicine
- The assimilation of “new” or “exotic” foods in periods with large migrations
- Town and rural hinterland relationships
- The influence of the “culinary revolution”, the import of overseas products in the 17th and 18th century, on the European city diet.
- The industrial revolution and its impact on the nature of food production.
Practical information:
The organization welcomes papers in English. Candidates are invited to submit a title and abstract of 300 words maximum before February 15th 2016. The abstract, accompanied by the affiliation and address data of the candidate, can be uploaded via the registration system for papers/posters at the conference website: http://eaavilnius2016.lt/.
Candidates will be informed regarding the acceptance of their proposals by the 15th of March.
Session organizers:
Dr. Julian Wiethold, Institute national de recherches archéologiques preventives (Inrap), Direction interrégionale Grand Est nord, Laboratoire archéobotaniques, 12, rue de Méric, F-57063 Metz cedex 2,
julian.wiethold@inrap.fr
Merit Hondelink, MA, Archeodienst Noord bv, Osloweg 95, 9723 BK Groningen
mmahondelink@gmail.com
Don O’Meara, Durham University, Dawson Building, Department of Archaeology, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE
donomeara@gmail.com
Cumbria and the typological development, construction and use of such features remain poorly understood. In these respects, the site at Low Crosby is a regionally significant
discovery. The investigation also highlighted a recurring problem with the dating of archaeological sites as most of the activity was initially assigned to the Romano-British
period based upon the retrieval of a modest assemblage of Roman pottery from several features. This date, however, was in direct conflict with the environmental evidence and
radiocarbon dating, highlighting the dangers of solely using artefactual evidence as a dating indicator.
From an early stage in the development of the archaeological discipline there was an appreciation that the remains of the past are an incomplete record, as the quote from Montelius demonstrates. Almost a century after Montelius was writing David Clark presented his view of archaeological preservation, though in even less positive tones; “Archaeology is the discipline with the theory and practice for the recovery
of unobservable hominid behaviour patterns from indirect traces in bad samples” (Clarke 1973, 17). However, as archaeologists were appreciating the problems of the taphonomic process they were also developing models to recognise that identifying and understanding these processes could provide useful information. This information was pertinent to the understanding of the past, or for finding the
bias in the record that might lead to misunderstandings about past processes. This was exemplified from the 1970s onwards through a greater focus on natural and cultural formation processes in the archaeological record (Schiffer 1987). From an
experimental archaeology perspective the destruction of dwellings is perhaps one of the better-known (and more visually dramatic) of the taphonomic experiments. This can include deliberately burnt structures (Waldhauser 2008), or those burnt accidently which are still valuable for archaeological purposes (Flamman 2004; Tipper 2012). The topic of this paper is to discuss the contribution of experiments
in digestive taphonomy to the understanding of archaeological formation processes.
Experiments of this nature may be regarded as amongst the very earliest conducted for understanding archaeological issues and have been central to a number of important archaeological debates. They are also strongly multidisciplinary with major contributions from the fields of palaeontology and ecology.
amassing fortunes through regional and international trade; a paradox briefly explored by Weber (2009) in his assessment of pre-Reformation proto-capitalism (Silber 1993). However, examining this theme through studies of archaeological
remains from monastic sites challenges the discipline of environmental archaeology to recover and identify material suitable to investigate this topic. Though monastic
sites have been a consistent focus for antiquarian and archaeological interest there has not been a consistent contribution to our understanding of the phenomenon
of Medieval monasticism from the discipline of environmental archaeology. The Cistercian monastery of Holme Cultram, in Cumbria, Northwest England is used here as a case study to discuss issues relating to the application of environmental
archaeology at monastic sites. Through an examination of various strands of environmental evidence from both archaeological and documentary sources it is hoped to show that the theme ‘subsistence and surplus’ is not merely another
interesting avenue of research, but rather a central means of examining monasticism as a phenomenon of Medieval society and economy.