EDO7844 - Soil Report on the Upper Palaeolithic and Early Mesolithic sites, Hengistbury Head; evaluation 1985

R I Macphail for Ancient Monument Laboratory conducted a soil report on Late Glacial and Holocene soils. These were examined through ten thin sections and the analysis of grain size, iron, aluminium, carbon and nitrogen. The study was divided into the Eastern Depression (Upper Palaeolithic site) and Warren Hill (Early Mesolithic site). Two C14 assays of the soil were carried out to establish the environmental conditions of the Upper Palaeolithic and Early Mesolithic flint scatters were found. The Early Mesolithic flints at Warren Hill occur in very well sorted sands containing over 50% very fine sand indicate the windblown origins. As seen with freeze-thaw microfabrics, which were well preserved in a soil burial, this can imply that once discarded there was very little disturbance. The study is additionally supported by 19 colour plates and pollen evidence to detail the changing oak woodland to the invasion of Calluna.