Farmers, Monks and Aristocrats: The Environmental Archaeology of an Anglo-saxon Estate Centre... (Excavations at Flixborough)

The environmental archaeological evidence from the site of Flixborough (in particular the animal bone assemblage) provides a series of unique insights into Anglo-Saxon life in England during the 8th to 10th centuries. The research reveals detailed evidence for the local and regional environment, many aspects of the local and regional agricultural economy, changing resource exploitation strategies and the extent of possible trade and exchange networks. Perhaps the most important conclusions have been gleaned from the synthesis of these various lines of evidence, viewed in a broader archaeological context. Thus, bioarchaeological data from Flixborough have documented for the first time, in a detailed and systematic way, the significant shift in social and economic aspects of wider Anglo-Saxon life during the 9th century AD., and comment on the possible role of external factors such as the arrival of Scandinavians in the life and development of the settlement. The bioarchaeological evidence from Flixborough is also used to explore the tentative evidence revealed by more traditional archaeological materials for the presence during the 9th century of elements of monastic life. The vast majority of bioarchaeological evidence from Flixborough provides both direct and indirect evidence of the wealth and social standing of some of the inhabitants as well as a plethora of unique information about agricultural and provisioning practices associated with a major Anglo-Saxon estate centre. The environmental archaeological record from Flixborough is without doubt one of the most important datasets of the early medieval period, and one which will provide a key benchmark for future research into many aspects of early medieval archaeology. Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Plates Appendices – List of Tables List of Contributors to the Flixborough Volumes Abstract Zusammenfassung Résumé Preface and Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction and Research Objectives 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Research Objectives Rural settlements The emporia and urban development Chapter 2: The Archaeological Background 2.1 Topographical setting and circumstances of discovery 2.2 The Anglo-Saxon occupation sequence Chapter 3: Chronology, Residuality, Taphonomy and Preservation 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Parameters of interpretation: a chronological framework for analysing the bioarchaeological remains 3.3 Aspects of site formation processes and residuality What was recorded? Phase 2–3a (late 7th to mid 8th century) Phase 3b (mid 8th to early 9th century) Phase 4–5b (9th century) Phase 6 (10th century) Phase 6iii (late 10th–early 11th century) Summary 3.4 Aspects of taphonomy and preservation Taphonomic pathways and the wet-sieved fish bone assemblage Histological studies of geese bones from Flixborough: an attempt to predict aDNA preservation Screening methods for DNA DNA survival Preservation of the archaeobotanical remains Recent taphonomic pathways of the hand-collected molluscan assemblage Chapter 4: The Nature of the Bioarchaeological Assemblages 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Recovery 4.3 Vertebrates 4.4 Molluscs 4.5 Plant remains 4.6 The chronological framework 4.7 The hand-collected and dry-sieved assemblages Phase 1 – mid–late 7th century Phase 2–3a – late 7th–mid 8th century Phase 3b – mid 8th–early 9th century Phase 4–5b – 9th century Phase 6 – 10th century Phase 6iii – late 10th–early 11th 4.8 The wet-sieved assemblages The fish bone assemblage Small mammal and amphibian remains Chapter 5: Landscape and Environment 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Palaeohabitats of the Lower Trent: a modern ecological perspective Wetlands around the Lower Trent Local woodland Periglacial sands, heathland and the Wolds 5.3 Evidence from the bioarchaeological remains Birds as palaeoecological indicators Mammals as palaeoecological indicators Wild mammals Domestic mammals Fish as indicators of pollution Plants as palaeoecological indicators Evidence for site environment and living conditions 5.4 Conclusions Chapter 6: Patterns of Disposal and Processing 6.1 Introduction 6.2 The disposal of vertebrate remains Relative bone frequency by context type Comparison of the frequency of birds and mammals between context types Comparison of the frequency of fish between context types 6.3 The disposal and deposition of plants and molluscs 6.4 Carcase preparation and disposal Skeletal element distribution Evidence for butchery Chapter 7: The Agricultural Economy 7.1 Introduction 7.2 The evidence for arable crops 7.3 Patterns of production and consumption The importance of major domesticates The importance of the major domestic mammals (cattle, sheep and pig) Proportions of meat in the diet Agricultural and economic practices as shown by age-at-death Tooth wear Mandible wear stages Epiphysial fusion 7.4 Slaughter patterns and Anglo-Saxon husbandry Cattle Sheep Pigs 7.5 The agricultural economy as reflected by the size and shape of livestock Large cattle and the possible presence of oxen Evidence for the presence of ‘improved’ cattle Sheep and the absence of wethers Domestic fowl and the possible presence of capons Geese: wild or domestic? 7.6 The use of bird eggs 7.7 Aspects of husbandry as indicated by nonmetrical traits and pathology Mandibular non-metric traits Oral pathology Joint arthropathy – ‘penning elbow’ An anomalous pathology of cattle calcanei Evidence of physiological stress in the Flixborough pigs The chronology of linear enamel hypoplasia The relative frequency of linear enamel hypoplasia Interpreting the non-metrical and pathological data Chapter 8: Exploitation of Resources and Procurement Strategies 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Exploitation of the agricultural landscape Woodland Marshlands and coastal saltmarshes 8.3 Wildfowling strategies 8.4 The exploitation of marine and freshwater resources Cetaceans Skeletal element representation and butchery of cetaceans Age and size profiles Biomolecular evidence from the bottlenose dolphins at Flixborough Stable isotope analysis of cetaceans and fish from Flixborough Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis Oxygen isotope analysis A Saxon bottlenose dolphin fishery in the Humberestuary? The missing pinnipeds Evidence for fishing Fishing methods Evidence for seasonality Shellfish exploitation Chapter 9: Evidence for Trade and Contact 9.1 Introduction 9.2 The fish trade 9.3 Indigenous or imported? Evidence from the cattle 9.4 Local or exotic? 9.5 Long-term survival or accidental reintroduction? The case of the black rat Chapter 10: Zooarchaeological Evidence for the Nature and Character of the Settlement 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Vassals and Vikings: what happened in the ninth century? 10.3 Monks or aristocrats: was Flixborough ever a monastery? The use of vertebrate ‘signatures’ Domestic animal signatures Wild avian signatures Interpreting the avian signatures at Flixborough Fish signatures Comparative evidence for inter-/intra-site social differentiation Manuscripts and monasticism: was vellum produced at Flixborough? 10.4 Recognising wealth and status Taxes, tithes and renders Conspicuous consumption Feasting The significance of large cattle The importance of pigs Wild animals and high-status Cetaceans Fish Birds Anglo Saxon falconry Epilogue Appendix 1. Recording Protocol for Mammal andBird Remains Stage 1 1. Preservation and fragmentation 2. Identification of fragments Identification criteria 3. Recording the’ identifiable’ mammal fragments (‘A’ bones) 4. Recording mandibular tooth wear stages 5. Additional selected age-at-death data (epiphysial fusion) 6. Recording identified bird fragments 7. Recording of other, less common, mammals 8. Measurements 9. Pathology and non-metrical traits Stage 2 ‘Not identified’ material Butchery Bulk-sieved sample methodology Mammals Birds Small mammals Amphibians References Appendix 2. Methodology and Protocol forSediment Samples, Plants and Molluscs Sampling in the field and the laboratory Methods Comments on some of the plant and nonplant components in the sediment samples A) ‘Charred herbaceous detritus’ B) ‘Silicified’ material C) ‘Char’ Methodology and protocol for snails and hand-collected shell References Appendix 3. Recording Methods for Fish Remains References Appendix 4. Detailed Datasets for Fish and Bird Bones Table A4.1 Flixborough sieved fish-element distribution by taxa and phase (continued opposite). Table A4.2 Flixborough sieved fish-element distribution by taxa and context type (continued opposite and overleaf). Table A4.3. Flixborough chicken tibiotarsus spur sex and related biometry data (continued overleaf). Bibliography Index Colour Plates

The environmental archaeological evidence from the site of Flixborough (in particular the animal bone assemblage) provides a series of unique insights into Anglo-Saxon life in England during the 8th to 10th centuries. The research reveals detailed evidence for the local and regional environment, many aspects of the local and regional agricultural economy, changing resource exploitation strategies and the extent of possible trade and exchange networks. Perhaps the most important conclusions have been gleaned from the synthesis of these various lines of evidence, viewed in a broader archaeological context. Thus, bioarchaeological data from Flixborough have documented for the first time, in a detailed and systematic way, the significant shift in social and economic aspects of wider Anglo-Saxon life during the 9th century AD., and comment on the possible role of external factors such as the arrival of Scandinavians in the life and development of the settlement.

The environmental archaeology evidence from the site of Flixborough (in particular the animal bone assemblage) provides a series of unique insights into Anglo-Saxon life in England during the 8th to 10th centuries. The research reveals detailed evidence for the regional environment, including details of trade and agriculture