Hostname: page-component-77f85d65b8-g98kq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-04-22T13:45:18.758Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

EARLY NEOLITHIC ENCLOSURES IN WALES: A REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE IN LIGHT OF RECENT DISCOVERIES AT CAERAU, CARDIFF

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2017

Oliver Davis ,
Niall Sharples  and
with a contribution from Jody Deacon
Oliver Davis
Affiliation:
School of History, Archaeology and Religion, University of Cardiff, John Percival Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff CF10 3EU, UK. Email: DavisOP@cardiff.ac.uk
Niall Sharples
Affiliation:
School of History, Archaeology and Religion, University of Cardiff, John Percival Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff CF10 3EU, UK. Email: Sharples@cardiff.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Causewayed enclosures have recently been at the forefront of debate within British and European Neolithic studies. In the British Isles as a whole, the vast majority of these monuments are located in southern England, but a few sites are now beginning to be discovered beyond this core region. The search in Wales had seen limited success, but in the 1990s a number of cropmark discoveries suggested the presence of such enclosures west of the River Severn. Nonetheless, until now only two enclosures have been confirmed as Neolithic in Wales – Banc Du (in Pembrokeshire) and Womaston (in Powys) – although neither produced more than a handful of sherds of pottery, flint or other material culture. Recent work by the authors at the Iron Age hillfort of Caerau, Cardiff, have confirmed the presence of another, large, Early Neolithic causewayed enclosure in the country. Excavations of the enclosure ditches have produced a substantial assemblage of bowl pottery, comparable with better-known enclosures in England, as well as ten radiocarbon dates. This paper provides a complete review of the evidence for Neolithic enclosures in Wales, and discusses the chronology and context of the enclosures based on the new radiocarbon dates and material assemblages recovered from Caerau.

Information

Type
Papers
Information
The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 97 , September 2017 , pp. 1 - 26
Copyright
© The Society of Antiquaries of London 2017 

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.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arnold, C J 1987. ‘Fridd Faldwyn, Montgomery: the Neolithic phase’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 136, 39–42 Google Scholar
Avery, M 1982. ‘The Neolithic causewayed enclosure, Abingdon’, in H Case and A Whittle (eds), Settlement Patterns in the Oxford Region: excavation at the Abingdon causewayed enclosure and other sites, 10–50, Council for British Archaeology, London Google Scholar
Baring-Gould, S 1903. ‘The exploration of Clegyr Voya’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 58, 1–11 Google Scholar
Baring-Gould, S, Burnard, R and Enys, J D 1900. ‘Exploration of the Stone Camp on St David’s Head’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 55, 105–131 Google Scholar
Bayliss, A, Whittle, A, Healy, F, Ray, K, Dorling, P, Lewis, R, Darvill, T, Wainwright, G and Wysocki, M 2011. ‘The Marches, South Wales and the Isle of Man’, in Whittle et al 2011, 521–561 Google Scholar
Bradley, R 1998. ‘Interpreting enclosures’, in M R Edmonds and C Richards (eds), Understanding the Neolithic of North-western Europe, 188–203, Cruithne Press, Glasgow Google Scholar
Britnell, W J and Jones, N 2012. ‘Once upon a time in the West: Neolithic enclosures in the Walton Basin’, in W J Britnell and R J Silvester (eds), Reflections on the Past: essays in honour of Frances Lynch, 48–77, Cambrian Archaeological Association, Welshpool Google Scholar
Burleigh, R and Hewson, A 1979. ‘British Museum Natural Radiocarbon Measurements XI’, Radiocarbon, 21 (2), 339–352 Google Scholar
Burrow, S 2003. Catalogue of the Mesolithic and Neolithic Collections in the National Museums and Galleries of Wales, National Museums and Galleries of Wales, Cardiff Google Scholar
Burrow, S, Driver, T and Thomas, D 1999. ‘Corntown Neolithic lithic scatter’, Archaeology in Wales, 39, 49–51 Google Scholar
Burrow, S, Driver, T and Thomas, D 2001. ‘Bridging the Severn Estuary: two possible earlier Neolithic enclosures in the Vale of Glamorgan’, in T Darvill and J Thomas (eds), Neolithic Enclosures in Atlantic Northwest Europe, 91–100, Neolithic Studies Group Seminar Papers 6, Oxbow, Oxford Google Scholar
Cunliffe, B 1993. Wessex to AD 1000, Longman, London Google Scholar
Curwen, E C 1930. ‘Neolithic camps’, Antiquity, 4, 22–54 Google Scholar
Darvill, T and Thomas, J (eds) 2001. Neolithic Enclosures in Atlantic North-west Europe, Neolithic Studies Group Seminar Papers 6, Oxbow, OxfordGoogle Scholar
Darvill, T and Wainwright, G 2016. ‘Neolithic and Bronze Age Pembrokeshire’, in T Darvill, H James, K Murphy, G Wainwright and E A Walker (eds), Pembrokeshire County History, Vol I: Prehistoric, Roman and Early Medieval Pembrokeshire, 55–222, Pembrokeshire County History Trust, Haverfordwest Google Scholar
Darvill, T, Wainwright, G and Driver, T 2007. ‘Among tombs and stone circles on Banc Du’, Brit Archaeol, 92 (Jan/Feb), 26–29 Google Scholar
Davis, O P 2017. ‘Filling the gaps: the Iron Age in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan’, Proc Prehist Soc, 83, 1–32 Google Scholar
Davis, O P and Sharples, N 2015. Excavations at Caerau Hillfort, Cardiff, South Wales, 2014: an interim report, Specialist Report 35, Cardiff Studies in Archaeology, CardiffGoogle Scholar
Davis, O P and Sharples, N 2016. Excavations at Caerau Hillfort, Cardiff, South Wales, 2015: an interim report, Specialist Report 36, Cardiff Studies in Archaeology, CardiffGoogle Scholar
Davis, O P, Sharples, N, Wyatt, D, Brook, D and Young, T 2015. ‘Geophysical survey and community engagement at Caerau Ringwork, Cardiff’, Archaeology in Wales, 55, 13–19 Google Scholar
Dixon, P 1988. ‘The Neolithic settlements on Crickley Hill’, in C Burgess, P Topping, C Mordant and M Maddison (eds), Enclosures and Defences in the Neolithic of Western Europe, BAR, Oxford, 75–87 Google Scholar
Driver, T 1997. ‘Norton, Ogmore-by-Sea’, Archaeology in Wales, 37, 66–67 Google Scholar
Driver, T 2009. ‘A Possible Neolithic causewayed enclosure at Flemingston, St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, in the context of known and possible examples from Wales’, Archaeology in Wales, 49, 3–10 Google Scholar
Driver, T 2014. ‘Possible causewayed enclosure north-east of Dryslwyn, Nevern’, Archaeology in Wales, 53, 163 Google Scholar
Edmonds, M and Thomas, J 1991. ‘Anglesey Archaeological Landscapes Project: second interim report 1991’, unpublished report, LampeterGoogle Scholar
Edmonds, M and Thomas, J 1992. ‘Anglesey Archaeological Landscapes Project: third interim report 1992’, unpublished report, LampeterGoogle Scholar
Edmonds, M and Thomas, J 1993. Anglesey Archaeological Landscapes Project: fourth interim report 1993’, unpublished report, LampeterGoogle Scholar
Evans, C and Hodder, I 2006. A Woodland Archaeology: Neolithic sites at Haddenham: Vol 1, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Cambridge Google Scholar
Gibson, A 1996. ‘A Neolithic enclosure at Hindwell, Radnorshire, Powys’, Oxford J Archaeol, 15 (3), 341–348 Google Scholar
Gibson, A 2009. ‘Neolithic pottery’, in N Jones, ‘Womaston Neolithic causewayed enclosure, Powys: survey and excavation 2008’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 158, 19–42 Google Scholar
Glenn, T A 1913. ‘Distribution of Neolithic implements in northern Flintshire’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 6 (13), 181–190 Google Scholar
Glenn, T A 1914. ‘Exploration of Neolithic station near Gwaenysgor, Flintshire’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 6 (14), 247–270 Google Scholar
Glenn, T A 1915. ‘Prehistoric and historic remains at Dyserth Castle’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 6 (15), 47–86 Google Scholar
Green, H S 1980. The Flint Arrowheads of the British Isles, BAR, Oxford Google Scholar
GSB Prospection 2012. Caerau Hillfort, Cardiff: geophysical survey report’, unpublished report 2012/27, BradfordGoogle Scholar
Guilbert, G. 1981. ‘Fridd Faldwyn’. Archaeol J, 138, 20–22 Google Scholar
Hamilton, M and Aldhouse-Green, S 1998. ‘Ogmore-by-Sea’, Archaeology in Wales, 38, 113–115 Google Scholar
Hemp, W J 1929. ‘A “Neolithic” camp in Wales’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 84, 145 Google Scholar
Hogg, A H A 1973. ‘Garn Fawr and Carn Ingli: two major Pembrokeshire hill-forts’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 122, 75–83 Google Scholar
Jones, N 1991. ‘Caersws’, Archaeology in Wales, 31, 59 Google Scholar
Jones, N 1992. ‘Caersws’, Archaeology in Wales, 32, 66 Google Scholar
Jones, N 1993. ‘Caersws’, Archaeology in Wales, 33, 52–54 Google Scholar
Jones, N 1998. ‘Small enclosures in north-east Wales: project report’, unpublished CPAT report 290, Clwyd-Powys Archaeological TrustGoogle Scholar
Jones, N 2008. ‘Womaston causewayed enclosure: survey and excavation 2008’, unpublished CPAT report 959, Clwyd–Powys Archaeological TrustGoogle Scholar
Jones, N W 2009. ‘Womaston Neolithic causewayed enclosure, Powys: survey and excavation 2008’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 158, 19–42 Google Scholar
Kelly, R S 1988. ‘Two late prehistoric circular enclosures near Harlech, Gwynedd’, Proc Prehist Soc, 54, 101–151 Google Scholar
Letterle, F 1992. ‘Quelques réflexions à propos de la chronologie du Neolithique Moyen d’Armorique’, in CT Le Roux (ed), Paysans et Bâtisseurs. L’emergence du Néolithique Atlantique et les Origines du Mégalithisme. Revue Archéologique de l’Ouest, 177–93, supplement no. 5, RennesGoogle Scholar
Lewis, R and Huckfield, P 2009. Trial excavations at the Norton causewayed enclosure and Church Farm barrow cemetery: post-excavation analysis and report’, unpublished report no. 2008/027, project no. GGAT 72, Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological TrustGoogle Scholar
Lloyd, J C and Savory, H N 1958. ‘Excavations at an Early Iron Age hillfort and a Romano-British iron-smelting place at Gwernyfed Park, Aberllynfi, in 1951’, Brycheiniog, 4, 53–72 Google Scholar
Lynch, F 1976. ‘Towards a chronology of megalithic tombs in Wales’, in G C Book and J M Lewis (eds), Welsh Antiquity, 63–79, National Museum of Wales, Cardiff Google Scholar
Lynch, F 2000. ‘The earlier Neolithic’, in F Lynch, S Aldhouse-Green and J L Davies (eds), Prehistoric Wales, 42–78, Sutton, Stroud Google Scholar
Mercer, R J 1981. ‘Excavations at Carn Brea, Illogan, Cornwall, 1970–73: a Neolithic fortified complex of the third millennium BC’, Cornish Archaeol, 20, 1–204 Google Scholar
Mercer, R J 1986. ‘Excavation of a Neolithic enclosure at Helman Tor, Lanlivery, Cornwall, 1986: interim report’, University of Edinburgh Department of Archaeology, EdinburghGoogle Scholar
Mytum, H C and Webster, C J 1989. ‘A survey of the Iron Age enclosure and Chevaux-de Frise at Carn Alw, Dyfed’, Proc Prehist Soc, 55, 263–267 Google Scholar
O’Neil, B H 1942. ‘Excavations at Fridd Faldwyn Camp, Montgomery, 1937–9’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 97, 1–57 Google Scholar
Oswald, A, Dyer, C and Barber, M 2001. The Creation of Monuments: Neolithic causewayed enclosures in the British Isles, English Heritage, Swindon Google Scholar
Palmer, R 1976. ‘Interrupted ditch enclosures in Britain: the use of aerial photography for comparative studies’, Proc Prehist Soc, 42, 161–186 Google Scholar
Peterson, R 2003. Neolithic Pottery from Wales: traditions of construction and use, BAR, Oxford Google Scholar
Powell, T G E 1954. ‘Excavations at Gwaenysgor’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 103, 109–111 Google Scholar
RCAHMW 1976. An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan, Vol I. Part 2: the Iron Age and Roman occupation, HMSO, London Google Scholar
Rees, C and Jones, M 2016. ‘Neolithic houses from Llanfaethlu, Anglesey’, Past, 81, 1–3 Google Scholar
Renfrew, C 1973. ‘Monuments, mobilisation and social organisation in Neolithic Wessex’, in C Renfrew (ed), The Explanation of Culture Change: models in prehistory, 539–558, Duckworth, London Google Scholar
Savory, H N 1953. ‘The excavation of a Neolithic dwelling and a Bronze Age cairn at Mount Pleasant Farm, Nottage, Glamorgan’, Transact Cardiff Natural Soc, 81, 75–92 Google Scholar
Sheridan, A 2011. ‘The Early Neolithic of south-west England: new insights and new questions’, in S Pearce (ed), Recent Archaeological Work in South Western Britain: papers in honour of Henrietta Quinnell, 21–40, Archaeopress, Oxford Google Scholar
Smith, I 1965. Windmill Hill and Avebury: excavations by Alexander Keiller, 1925–1939, Clarendon Press, Oxford Google Scholar
Smith, I 2008. ‘The pottery from the hilltop excavations of 1974–82’, in R Mercer and F Healy (eds), Hambledon Hill, Dorset, England: excavations and survey of a Neolithic monument complex and its surrounding landscape, 587–613, English Heritage, Swindon Google Scholar
Thomas, J 2001. ‘Neolithic enclosures: reflections on excavations in Wales and Scotland’, in Darvill and Thomas 2001Google Scholar
Vyner, B 2001. ‘Clegyr Boia: a potential Neolithic enclosure and associated monuments on the St David’s peninsula, southwest Wales’, in Darvill and Thomas 2001Google Scholar
Wainwright, G J 1967. Coygan Camp: a prehistoric, Romano-British and Dark Age settlement in Carmarthenshire, The Cambrian Archaeological Association, Cardiff Google Scholar
Whittle, A 1977. The Earlier Neolithic of Southern England and its Continental Background, BAR, Oxford Google Scholar
Whittle, A, Healy, F and Bayliss, A (eds) 2011. Gathering Time: dating the Early Neolithic enclosures of southern Britain and Ireland, Oxbow, Oxford Google Scholar
Williams, A 1952. ‘Clegyr Boia, St David’s, Pembrokeshire: excavation in 1943’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 102, 20–47 Google Scholar
Yates, A 1998. ‘Archaeological survey Beech Court Farm enclosure, Ewenny, Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan’, unpublished GGAT report no. 98/034, Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological TrustGoogle Scholar
Zienkiewicz, L C 2003. ‘Prehistoric Interrupted-ditch Enclosures of South-east Wales’, unpublished GGAT report no. 2003/084, Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological TrustGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Davis et al. supplementary material

Davis et al. supplementary material 1

Download Davis et al. supplementary material(File)
File 17.4 KB