Yeavering: An Anglo-British Centre of Early Northumbria

481 Pages·2009·59.126 MB·English

by  Brian Hope-Taylor

CONTENTS
page vii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT .
xiii
LIST OF PLATES
xvii
PREFACE
CHAPTER One: THE SITE: ITs DrscovERY AND ToPOGRAPHY
(A) The context of discovery I
(B) Local topography and place-names 5
I Location . 5
II Yeavering Bell . 6
III Rivers, routes and geology 9
IV The whaleback . II
V Old Yeavering . 14
VI Local climate 15
VII The names Yeavering and Maelmin 15
VIII The river-names Glen and Till !6
IX The name Bell . !6
(C) The pattern of early settlement in Bernicia !6
CHAPTER Two: EXCAVATIONS AT YEAVERING, 1953-62
(I) Factors determining excavational method
(a) The nature of the inquiries .
{b) The physical nature of the remains
(c) General conditions prevailing on the site
{d) The labour force
(II) The processes of excavation and record
(Ill) Diagnosis by soil-dissection
CHAPTER THREE! THE EXCAVATED STRUCTURES
(I) General description of structures and occurrences of
artifacts: Areas A to E, in alphabetical order 46
Area A: the central complex 46
Area B 70
Area BC: the entrance-works of the Great Enclosure 85
Area C: the echelon of northern buildings 88
Area D: the western buildings and the western cemetery 95
Area E: the wooden theatre 119
(II) Summary of structural sequence given by intersections
in Areas A: and B 122
(Ill) The processes of setting-out, measurement and
construction
Building E
V
vi Contents
Buildings A2 and A4. page I25
Buildings Cr-4 and A3 I4I
Buildings DI, D2 and D3 I46
Buildings A5 and D6 I47
Buildings A6 and A 7. I47
(IV) Structural typology and style
(a) Types and styles.
(b) Phases
(c) Functions and events: summary
CHAPTER FouR: THE Small-Finds AND THEIR ARCHAEOLOGICAL
AFFINITIES
(A) Catalogue I70
(i) Pottery 170
(ii) Loom-weights r8I
(iii) Gold . I82
(.iv) Iron and bronze . I83
(v) Glass I93
(vi) Stone. I94
(B) General discussion of the finds I96
(C) The wooden object in Grave AX . 200
CHAPTER Five: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AFFINITIES OF THE TIMBER
STRUCTURES AND OTHER FEATURES OF THE SITE
(A) The field-system 204
(B) The Great Enclosure . 205
(C) Buildings A5 and D6 (Phase I) 209
(D) The trench-built halls of Phases II, IIIAB and IIIC 2I3
(E) The trench-built halls of Phases IV and V 237
(F) The sunken-floored buildings of Phases II and IV 239
(G) Building E 24 I
(H) The graves and standing posts 244
Archaeological summary and conclusions 267
CHAPTER Six: THE Historical SIGNIFICANCE oF YEA YE RING 276
APPENDICES
I Yeavering's Faunal Remains 325
II Charcoal . 333
Ill Cremation-burials and Associated Artifacts 335
NoTES AND REFERENCES 358
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 375
INDEX . 377
PLATES 393
OF OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT
Fig.
Y eavering in its regional, intramural, setting page 2
2 Yeavering in its local context 3
3 Plan ofYeavering Bell oppidum 7
4 Distribution-map of native settlements in Northumberland (after Hogg) 8
5 Distribution-map of light alluvial soils in Northumberland IO
6 Diagrammatic maps of the Tyne-Forth province in modern times I2
7 Plan of cropmarks at Milfield ·
8 Diagram showing soil-features indicative of construction and demolition of
timber buildings, as observed at Yeavering . 37
9 Diagram demonstrating interpretation of soil features indicative of characteristic
wall-construction at Yeavering
IO Diagrams showing diagnostic distributions of burnt material in buildings (a)
demolished and (b) demolished and rebuilt after destruction by fire
1 I Diagrammatic view of longitudinal vertical section of mature 'Yeavering-style'
foundation-trench demonstrating the sequence in which wall-timbers were
extracted during the building's demolition 41
I 2 General plan of structures and excavations at Yeavering I952-62 (folder) 46-4 7
13 AREA A. Primary horizontal section, Area A, showing Buildings AI(a), (b) and
(c), part of Building A2 and Palisades I, 2 and 3 .
14 AREA A. Characteristic vertical sections of Building AI .
15 AREA A. Primary horizontal section of Building A2 and contiguous structures 52
r6 AREA A. Characteristic vertical sections of Buildings A2, AI and A3 54
I 7 AREA A. Plan showing primary horizontal section of Buildings A3-8 inclusive,
with contiguous structures . 56
18 AREA A. Vertical section across S. jamb-pit of A4's E. wall, demonstrating
sequence A4/A3(a)/A3(b) . 58
19 AREA A. Characteristic vertical sections of Buildings A4, A3(a) and A3(b) 59
20 AREA A. Vertical sections of A4's major buttress-pits 6o
2 I AREA A. Vertical sections of A3 (a) and (b), and A5
22, 23, 24 AREA A. Plan of excavated trenches and post-holes, corresponding with
Figs. I3, I5 and 17
25 AREA A. Grave AX, composite horizontal section .
26 AREA B. Primary horizontal section of the Great Enclosure's palisades, the
Eastern Ring-ditch, Pit BX, graves of the Eastern Cemetery and Building B
27 AREA B. Primary horizontal section of Building B and graves of the Eastern
·Cemetery 72
28 AREA B. Vertical sections . 75
Top Building B and graves of Eastern Cemetery (showing rebuild of N.
wall and repair of S. wall of Building B)
Middle Section relating Pit BX to the Eastern Ring-ditch and to the N. wall
of Building B's western annexe
Bottom Section showing Eastern Ring-ditch in relation to Palisade FP5
vii
viii Illustrations in the Text
29 AREA B. Vertical sections page 76
Upper Section of Great Enclosure's inner trench
Lower The most starkly simple reconstruction to be inferred
30 Area B. Vertical section of the outer foundation-trench of the Great Enclosure 77
31 AREA B. Plan isolating graves containing much burnt material (the 'string-
graves') showing their relationship to Grave and Post AX, Post BX and Graves
BX 1 and 2 78-79
32 AreaB 79
Above Detail-plan of area around Pit BX
Below Vertical sections of Pit BX and contiguous graves
(a) socket of original Post BX
(b) Grave BX1
(c) pit made for removal of original post
(d) pointed end of secondary post left in situ
(e) pit made during removal of upper part of secondary post
33 AreaB. Plan of Building B (Christian church) and its fenced graveyard 8o
34 AreaB. Diagrammatic detail-plan of area around N.W. corner of Building B's
main chamber, demonstrating attitudes and short stature of associated bodies
35 AREA B. Plan of Grave BZ56, showing iron belt-fittings, knife and purse-mount
36 AreaBC. Plan of W. circle of Great Enclosure's entrance-works, showing
remains of Building BC and extent of destruction by erosion
37 AREA C. Plan and section of Building C1
38 AREA C. Plans of Buildings Co, C3 and C4(b) 90-91
39 AreaC. Plan of Building C4(a) .
40 AREA C. Representative vertical sections of Buildings C2-4 inclusive 93
41 AREA D. General plan of area, showing relationships between Buildings D1-4
inclusive, the Western Ring-ditch complex, the Western Cemetery and the focal
group of early cremation-burials . g6-97
42 AreaD. Plan of Buildings D1(a) and (b) 96-97
43 AREA D. Plan of Buildings D2(a) and (b) 96-97
44 AREA D. Building D2: distribution of burnt daub, charcoal and animal-bones 96-97
45 AREA D. Buildings D2(a) and (b) 99
Above Left: diagrammatic plan of bone-stack (ox-skulls) based in pit against
inside of D2(a)'s E. wall, N. of jamb-pit
Right: diagrammatic section showing laminations in the lower parts
of the deposit that survived intact, with distribution of bones
scattered from upper deposits during demolition of D2
Below Vertical sections
(1) N. Wall
(2) S. Wall, close to S.E. corner-pit
(3) S. Wall, extreme left, internal centre-post
(4) E. Wall, S. jamb-pits of door
46 AREA D. (a) Plan of crouched burial close to Building D2’s S.W. corner 101
(b) Plans of succe.ssive huts flanking W. side of Building D2
47 AREA D. Horizontal section of Building D3 and associated structures
48 AREA D. Section and plan of Building D3, main structure
49 AREA D. Plan showing negative features of Building D3 and associated
structures . I 04-r0 5
50 AREA D. Western Ring-ditch complex: primary horizontal section . 110
51 AREA D. Western Ring-ditch complex: plan of excavated structures 111
52 AREA D. Western Ring-ditch complex (second phase): rectangular mortuary
enclosure or shrine, and its associated inhumation graves 113
Illustrations in the Text
53 AREA D. Plan of Buildings D4(a) and (b) page II6
54 AREA D. Buildings D5 (later) and D6 (earlier) 117
55 AREA E. Plan of Building E with indication of fire-reddened soil and of small
scattered cairn . 120
56 AREAS E AND D !21
Upper Vertical section of Building E
Lower Longitudinal vertical section of Building Dg
57 AREA E. Reconstruction-drawing of Building E 121
58 Chart setting out structural intersections given by Areas A and B 123
59 AREA A. Reconstruction-drawing of Building A2, showing platforms and
'high seat' 126
6o AREA A. Analytical plan of Building A2, showing the timber structures and
their metrological response 127
61 AREA A. Analytical plan of Building A4, showing the timber structures and
their metrological response I 30
62 Analytical plan showing the physical and metrological relationships between
Building A4, Graves AX and BX, and Post BX 131
63 General plan demonstrating and extending the alignment defined by Posts BX
and AX and the long axes of Buildings A4 ('original') and A2 132
64 AREA C. Diagrammatic plan demonstrating the setting-out line for Yeavering's
echelon of 'C' buildings, and its metrological response 133
65 AREA A. Diagrams demonstrating stages I-IV in the construction of Building A4 135
66 Diagrammatic plans of Buildings A2 and A4 138
Lift Metrological analysis of A2's internal divisions
Middle The original scheme for A4 hypothetically carried out
Bottom A4 as finally built
67 AREA A. Buildings A5-7 inclusive, showing their response to metrological
analysis . 142
68 AREA A. Building A3(a), its timber structures and their response to
metrological analysis . 144
69 AREA A. Building A3(b), its timber structures and their response to
metrological analysis . 145
70 Diagram comparing timber thicknesses characteristic of successive structural
phases r46
71 Chart defining the sequence and characteristics of building sryles at Yeavering 148-9
72 Chart defining the main 'style-phases' and events in Yeavering’s development 152
73 Plan: Yeavering from the Secondary Neolithic to the local end of the Roman
Iron Age . 155
74 Plan: Phase I of post-Roman development at Yeavering 156
75 Plan: Phase II of post-Roman development at Yeavering 159
76 Plan: Phase IIIAB of post-Roman development at Yeavering. 160
77 Plan: Phase IIIC of post-Roman development at Yeavering 162
78 Plan: Phase IV of post-Roman development at Yeavering 165
79 Plan: Phase V of post-Roman development at Yeavering 167
8o Pottery of Class I(A) . 171
Tl)j> From palisade-trench of the Great Enelosure's third phase
lMiddle From Building A5
Bottom From Building D6
81 Pottery of Class 1(B). 173
Above From Floor r of Building D3
Below From Floor 2 of Building D3
Illustrations in the Text
X
82 Pottery of Class I (B) page I 7 4
(I) From Building DI(b)
(2) From Building D4
(3) From Building D5
(4) From Building A2
(5) From Building A4
(6) From Building As(a)
(7) From Building AI(b)
(8) From Building CI
(g) From ditch associated with Building C2
(10) From Building C4(a)
83 Pottery of Class I(B) associated with circular hut built over remains of
demolished Building D3 175
84 Class III wide-mouthed bowl ('YAS') from jamb-pit of Building DI (b)'s E.
door 177
85 (I) Class 2 pot, from earliest palisade-trench of Great Enclosure
(2) Sherd of dark, sandy ware from Building C3
(3) Class 4 rim from Floor I of Building D3
(4) Class 3 sherd from Floor I of Building D3
(5) Sherd of grey, wheel-made ware from junction of A4 and A3(a) wall-
trenches . I 78
86 (a) Loom-weights LI-4 from Buildings D4, C1 and D5 and from pit or post-
bole on quarry-edge (adjacent to fragmentary Building D7)
(b) Objects of glass: GLI and 2 from unurned cremations; GLg and 4 from
Building A4’s demolition-trough I84
87 Grave-group BZ56 185
88 Iron buckles, 'swivels' and knives I 86
89 Iron slide-key, drawknife, possible harness-fragments, hinge, L-hook, 'strike-a-
light' and spiral object I88
go Iron objects I 9 r
91 Iron nails 192
92 Objects ofs tone I 95
93 Miscellaneous objects (daub and charcoal) I97
94 Reconstruction of bronze-bound wooden object laid along long axis of Grave
AX (see also Fig. 25) . 201
95 Plan of palisade-enclosure at Harehope, Peeblesshire (after Feachem) 207
g6 (a) Houses at Skorbaek (after Hatt) 215
(b) House Ib Norre Fjand (after Hatt) 2I6
(c) Byre-house at Tofting (after Bantelmann) . 217
(d) Byre-house at Feddersen Wierde (after Haaruagel) 218
97 Einswarden house (after Zippelius) 220
(a) Plan
(b) Reconstruction
(c) End-elevation
g8 Diagrams of structural developments at Ezinge (after van Giffen) 221
gg Plans of Ezinge houses (after van Glffen) 222
100 Reconstruction of Ezinge house (after Zippelius) . 223
101 Hall and 'hamlet' of minor buildings at Fochteloo (after van Giffen) 224
102 Fochteloo hall (after van Giffen) 226
103 Types of building found at Warendorf (after Winkelmann) 229
104 Structural framework of rectangular building at Warendorf (after Winkelmann) 230