Four Living Levels volunteers joined a small band of archaeologists in four days of recording of a new area of submerged forest which had been exposed on the foreshore at Goldcliff.
Taking samples for tree ring dating (M Bell)
This was of particular interest because the new area was at a higher level than previously investigated submerged forests and is thought to be Neolithic. Prof Nigel Nayling and Dr Rod Bale from Trinity St David’s University, Lampeter, and Dr Toby Jones from the Newport ship, took samples of four large oak trees for tree ring dating and will also be dating peat samples. Dr Scott Timpany of the University of the Highlands and Islands (Orkney) and his partner Sarah took samples of peat for pollen and seed analysis to reconstruct the vegetation history. Dr David Smith from the University of Birmingham took samples for beetle analysis.
The newly revealed peat was cleaned of mud and sand and a detailed plan was made of the trees. Scott and Sarah will map the composition of the woodland, adding to a map of an adjacent, previously exposed, area made in 2002. Using these various techniques, it will be possible to establish the precise character of this ancient woodland and perhaps find evidence for the influence of Neolithic communities on the environment. Cleaning of the peat edge and small-scale excavation revealed Mesolithic stone artefacts buried by the peat; these included a fine microlith (small piece of worked flint) which probably served as the tip of a spear, found by Martin Gerrard, one of the Living Levels volunteers.
Work on the recently exposed area of Upper Submerged Forest allowed little time for investigation of the deposits low in the tidal range which in recent years have been the main focus of our attention. A visit to the low foreshore during one low tide was, however, particularly productive. Only tiny areas of laminated silts on which footprints are often found were exposed, most being covered by sand dunes. Even so, a very well preserved set of bird footprints was found and a separate post on these is being prepared by Jeremy White.
Within the last year a new Mesolithic activity area had been located on the low foreshore that revealed some burnt bones, mostly fish with one deer bone, charcoal and flint artefacts. Adam Turner, a PhD student at Reading University, was searching the eroded sediment beside this site when he found a broken Mesolithic axe of volcanic tuff and a really nice example of a stone scraper, probably used in cleaning hides. Unfortunately, the Mesolithic wood structure, interpreted as a fish trap which is even lower in the tidal range, and which we have been recording and excavating since 2017, was completely covered by mobile gravel so it was not possible to do further work on that site.
Whilst the team were working on the foreshore Dr Jennifer Foster was working on the dryland, recording the finds and taking time out to explain to dozens of members of the public walking along the seawall what the team busy in the mud down below were doing.
Martin Bell (left) and volunteers on the foreshore at Goldcliff.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the Living Levels, Alison Boyes and the project volunteers for supporting our work. Also to the specialist researchers involved, all of whom have been key contributors to earlier research at Goldcliff.
Special thanks to the Williams family at Goldcliff Fishery who allowed us to erect a tent on their lawn as a shore base. This made the whole task very much easier and more enjoyable, providing a place to work on the finds and samples and the opportunity for tea breaks and explaining the work to those walking nearby along the seawall.
Martin Bell and Tom Walker,
University of Reading
Public walk 21 September 2021
If you want to experience the archaeology at Goldcliff at first hand a public walk is being organised by the Living Levels project on Tuesday September 21st.
You should be warned, however, that intertidal conditions are muddy and slippery and these walks are only suitable for those with good mobility and without serious underlying health conditions. The intertidal area is not suitable for unguided visits because of the very difficult conditions on the foreshore and for reasons of nature conservation.