Experimental Archaeology and the Formation Processes of the Archaeological Record

Martin Bell is Emeritus Professor of Archaeological Science at Reading University where he taught Geoarchaeology and Experimental Archaeology. He is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and the British Academy. Simon Hillson is Emeritus Professor of Bioarchaeology at University College London. He has published on bioarchaeology and zooarchaeology and is continuing bioarchaeological fieldwork in Greece. Rob Janaway is Associate Professor in Forensic and Archaeological Sciences at the University of Bradford. He first worked on Wareham material as part of his undergraduate dissertation in 1979, and was responsible for the 32-year material recovery at both Overton and Wareham.

• 1. The experimental archaeology of formation processes, by Martin Bell1.1 Introduction1.2 The position of the archaeologist and key terms1.3 Historical development of experimental archaeology1.4 Philosophies of experiment and trends in theory and practice1.5 Critique1.6 Conclusions1.7 Background to the book2. Introduction to the Experimental Earthwork Project and Wareham Earthwork in its context, by Martin Bell 2.1 The Experimental Earthwork Project2.2 Octagon Earthworks2.3 Overton Experimental Earthwork 2.4 Wareham Experimental Earthwork and its setting2.5 Topographic setting2.6 The Nature Reserve2.7 Geology2.8 Heathland origins2.9 Archaeology on the Morden Bog Reserve2.10 Archaeology in the surrounding area2.11 Summary of previous research on the Wareham Earthwork3. The Wareham Experimental Earthwork after 33 years, by Martin Bell, Simon Hillson and John Crowther 3.1 Introduction3.2 Aims and objectives of the 33-year investigation3.3 The ditch3.4 Analysis of ditch sediments, by John Crowther3.5 Ditch changes through time3.6 Zoo-geomorphic processes acting on the bank and ditch3.7 Bank sediments3.8 Old Land Surface 3.9 Plastic tubing3.10 Pottery discs 3.11 Conclusions3.12 Acknowledgements4. The Wareham buried soil and interaction of soil organisms with buried materials 4.1 Changes to the buried soil, by Richard Macphail 4.2 Interaction of soil organisms with buried materials, by T. Lawson, D.W. Hopkins, J.A. Chudek and R.C. Janaway 5. Wareham botanical studies5.1 Background5.2 Vegetation analysis, by Patricia E.J. Wiltshire5.3 Seed flora studies, by Wendy Carruthers and Vanessa Straker5.4 Seed viability studies, by Ken Thompson and S.R. Band5.5 Pollen analysis, by Keith Crabtree5.6 Botanical conclusions, by Wendy Carruthers and Vanessa Straker6. Wareham buried materials: the degradation of textiles, rope, leather and goatskin, and associated metals, by Rob Janaway, A. Surtees, l. Carter, G. Edwards, I. Hovmand and J.G. Mc Donnell7. Histology and biochemistry of bone specimens from Overton and Wareham, by Simon Hillson, Christine Nielsen-Marsh, J. Bailey, S. Bond and R.I. Macphail7.1 Introduction and materials7.2 Conditions of burial 7.3 Methods7.3 Description of the specimens7.4 Histological description of specimens7.5 Physical properties and inorganic chemistry7.6 DNA chemistry7.7 Discussion and conclusions8. Wareham Wood decomposition: micromorphological and ultrastructural aspects, by R.A. Blanchette and John E. Haight8.1 Introduction, samples and methods8.2 Results8.3 Discussion9. Glass, other buried materials and the project archive 9.1 Glass, by J. Henderson9.2 Introduction9.3 Analytical techniques used9.4 Conclusions10. Octagonal and other earthworks10.1 Introduction to octagonal earthworks, by Martin Bell10.2 Wroughton Octagonal Earthwork, by Martin Bell10.3 Wroughton 2006 excavation: 21-year-old earthwork, by Emma Gilbert and Martin Bell10.4 Wroughton 2015 excavation: 30-year-old earthwork, by Martin Bell10.5 Mollusc analysis of the 30-year-old Wroughton earthwork, by Thomas Walker10.6 Butser, Bascombe Octagonal Earthwork after 16 years, by Amy Poole and Martin Bell10.7 Fishbourne Octagonal Earthwork after 22 years, by Martin Bell and Amy Poole10.8 Fishbourne soil and sediment analysis, by Amy Poole10.9 Fishbourne: pollen analysis, by Alex Brown10.10 Fishbourne: conclusions10.11 St Fagans, Cardiff Circular Earthwork after 17 years: introduction, by Amy Poole 10.12 St Fagans Soil and sediment analysis, by Amy Poole10.13 Octagonal and related earthworks conclusions, by Martin Bell11. Excavation of experimental roundhouses 11.1 Introduction to experimental roundhouses, by Martin Bell11.2 Butser Longbridge Deverill roundhouse after 14 years, by Martin Bell11.3 Longbridge Deverill roundhouse: sediment micromorphological analysis, by Rowena Banerjea11.4 Longbridge Deverill roundhouse: pollen analysis, by Alex Brown11.5 Moel y Gaer roundhouse at St Fagans after 17 years, by Martin Bell11.6 Geochemistry of the Moel y Gaer roundhouse, by Katherine Brown11.7 Micromorphology of the Moel y Gaer roundhouse, by Rowena Banerjea11.8 Roundhouses conclusions, by Martin Bell12. Conclusions, by Martin Belll