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Excavation of the Lower Palaeolithic Site at Amey's Eartham Pit, Boxgrove, West Sussex: A Preliminary Report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2014

M. B. Roberts ,
M. R. Bates ,
C. Bergman ,
A. P. Currant ,
J. R. Haynes ,
R. Macphail ,
A. McConnell ,
R. Scaife ,
R. Unger-Hamilton  and
R. C. Whatley
M. B. Roberts
Affiliation:
Field Archaeology Unit, Institute of Archaeology, 31–34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY, England
M. R. Bates
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey, England
C. Bergman
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, 31–34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, England
A. P. Currant
Affiliation:
Department of Palaeontology, British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, England
J. R. Haynes
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Llandinam Building, Aberystwyth, Dyfed SY23 3DB, Wales
R. Macphail
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, 31–34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, England
A. McConnell
Affiliation:
Victoria Archaeological Survey, Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
R. Scaife
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, 31–34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, England
R. Unger-Hamilton
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, 31–34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, England
R. C. Whatley
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Llandinam Building, Aberystwyth, Dyfed SY23 3DB, Wales
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Abstract

The acheulian site at Boxgrove contains one of the most extensive areas of in situ fauna and flintwork yet discovered in Britain. This material is found in a complex sequence of sediments which represent depositional conditions from a 42 m sea level rise to the onset of a full periglacial climate. Excavation of the archaeological horizon has been accompanied by a programme of multidisciplinary research examining site formation processes, palaeolandscape and palaeoecological development, using sedimentological and environmental reconstruction techniques. Dating of the site is tentative as no absolute dates are available at present. However, comparative analysis with other British sites would suggest a position for the Boxgrove sequence within the Middle Pleistocene. The archaeological horizon is interpreted as being deposited towards the latter part of an interglacial or an interstadial period.

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Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 52 , Issue 1 , 1986 , pp. 215 - 245
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 1986

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References

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