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Machen Quarry extension, Caerphilly: archaeological field evaluation
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Contents Page
Summary..................................................................................................................................2Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................2Copyright notice.......................................................................................................................2
1.
Introduction........................................................................................................................3
1.1 Project background and commission............................................................................31.2 Location and Topography............................................................................................31.3 Geology........................................................................................................................31.4 Historical and archaeological background...................................................................5
2.
Methodology.......................................................................................................................7
3.
Results.................................................................................................................................9
3.1 Finds...........................................................................................................................19
4.
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................23
Appendix I: Context Inventory...............................................................................................25
Figures
Figure 1. Site location..................................................................................................................4Figure 2. Plan showing location of Trenches 1-5 and MQ1. Inset showing location of sectiondrawings in Trenches 1 and 2...............................................................................................8Figure 3. East facing section in Trench 1...................................................................................12Figure 4. North and east facing section in Trench 2..................................................................13Figure 5. Flint blade (scale 1:1) and Mesolithic flint (2:1) below.............................................22
Plates
Plate 1. Trench 1. Showing clearance cairn 104. View to the south west..................................14Plate 2. Trench 1. North facing section showing proximity of the limestone bedrock to theground surface....................................................................................................................14Plate 3. Trench 1. South facing section showing proximity of the bedrock to the groundsurface................................................................................................................................15Plate 4. Trench 1. Oblique view of the west facing section showing the shallow bedrock.......15Plate 5. Trench 2. Showing stony clay 203. View to north........................................................16Plate 6. Trench 2. South-west corner showing clearance cairn (206). View to south-west.......16Plate 7. Trench 3. South-facing section showing clearance cairn (307). Oblique view to northwest....................................................................................................................................17Plate 8. Trench 4. View to the north showing clearance cairn 403 and shallow bedrock 404...17Plate 9. Trench 4. View to the east showing very shallow and outcropping bedrock 404. Thepossible leading face of a small quarry area continuing to the east...................................18Plate 10. Trench 5. View to the south-east. showing shallow and outcropping bedrock...........18
Machen Quarry extension, Caerphilly: archaeological field evaluation
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Summary
Hanson Aggregates commissioned the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (Projects Division) to carry out an archaeological evaluation on land to the north of the existing quarry,in advance of extension works centred at NGR ST 23108, 89449. The evaluation was carried out during November 2008.Five evaluation trenches were excavated on the previously identified area of archaeological potential within the extension area (MQ1). The trenches revealed a number of late post-medieval or modern clearance cairns and areas of bedrock outcropping to the present ground surface. No deposits of archaeological significance were encountered. Four flint artefactswere recovered and retained for specialist analysis. The resulting report outlined that theassemblage was typical of those
found in upland environments and probably the result of casual loss rather than representing evidence of settlement or occupation.The archaeological evaluation was carried out to the standards specified by the
Institute forArchaeologists
Standard and Guidance For Archaeological Field Evaluation
1994.
Acknowledgements
This project was managed by Richard Lewis BA MIFA and the fieldwork undertaken byRowena Hart BSc MA, Rachel Bowden BA, Ellie Graham BA, Andrew Sherman BA andChris Bentham BA. The photographs and report were prepared by Rowena Hart BSc MA,with illustrations by Paul Jones (GGAT Senior Illustrator).
Copyright notice
The copyright of this report is held by Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd; GGAT hasgranted an exclusive licence to Hanson Aggregates and their agents to use and reproduce thematerial it contains. Ordnance Survey maps are reproduced under licence (AL 10005976),annotations are GGAT copyright.
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