Grooved ware in the Upper Thames valley: context and design

Botfield, Sarah Jayne (2012). Grooved ware in the Upper Thames valley: context and design. University of Birmingham. M.Phil.

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Abstract

The later Neolithic period saw the emergence of Grooved Ware pottery within Britain and Ireland. The three styles are often associated with henge monuments, pit groups or passage graves and accompanied by unusual or complex deposits. However, it is not clear whether the depositional practices of all three styles of Grooved Ware pottery followed the same pattern, or were treated differently. In the Upper Thames Valley many of the known Grooved Ware sites are situated on the lower gravel terraces and although this distribution may be a reflection of where developer-led archaeology has occurred, it does not help to explain why they were placed there initially and why other areas were avoided, such as the large henge monuments within the Upper Thames Valley. This thesis analyses the depositional contexts of all three styles of Grooved Ware pottery within the Upper Thames Valley and evaluates these from a landscape perspective, to determine whether all three styles were deposited in similar contexts to each other. Their distinctive decorative designs are also examined in an attempt to ascertain whether they held any iconological significance, thereby influencing how the pottery was treated and therefore governing both choice of location and manner of deposition.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.Phil.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.Phil.

Supervisor(s):