Monument record MDO18751 - Poundbury Depot, Poundbury West Industrial Estate, Dorchester; Neolithic Pits

An archaeological excavation of prehistoric settlement fetures on land at Poundbury West Industrial Estate, Dorchester, Dorset, was undertaken by AC Archaeology during the early summer 2005. Archaeological activity on the site included an unusual early Neolithic pit that contained a series of stakeholes in its base, as well as a large quantity of flake stone and other artefacts throughout its fill sequence.

An archaeological excavation of prehistoric settlement fetures on land at Poundbury West Industrial Estate, Dorchester, Dorset, was undertaken by AC Archaeology during the early summer 2005.

Two Early Neolithic features were recorded. Pit F112 was sub-circular with a maximum diameter of 2.3m and a steep or near vertical profile and uneven base at a depth of c. 0.9m. The irregular base was cut by 22 randomly set stake holes of varying dimensions (0.05-0.11m diameter), some of these over 1m in depth. The middle and lower pit fills were the result of rapid and deliberate backfilling. Finds recovered from the pit include a small number of early Neolithic pottery sherds and very large quantities of prehistoric flaked stone, much of which represent in situ working. The lower fill also contained a diagnostic leaf-shaped arrowhead. This pit may originally have been excavated as a quarry for flint nodules for tool manufacture and then deliberately back filled with domestic rubbish, flint debitage and burnt material. there are no recorded parallels for the stake holes within this pit and their function remains unknown.

Post pit F139 was oval in plan with a length of 1.4m and width of 0.9m. The profile was gradually sloping at the top then becoming steep onto a flat base at a depth of 0.6m. Artefacts recovered from this feature comprised a small assemblage of worked and burnt flint pieces, and a small quantity of fired clay. The worked flint comprises blade flakes characteristic of the early Neolithic period.

Robinson, S and Laidlaw, M, 2005, A Multi-Phase Prehistoric Site at Poundbury Depot, Poundbury West Industrial Estate, Dorchester, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO16558.

Robinson, S and Valentin, J, 2005, A Multi-Phase Prehistoric Site at Poundbury Depot, Poundbury West Industrial Estate, Dorchester, Dorset. Post-excavation Assessment Report (Unpublished document). SDO10032.

Record last edited

Feb 26 2010 12:07PM