SALSA

This project is designed to provide an overview of the early prehistoric lithic (flint & chert implements) collections derived from the main aggregate producing areas in Somerset.

Lithics are the most abundant element of the known material culture for the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age periods from the aggregate producing areas and provide our most common and widely distributed evidence for human activity of these periods. Unfortunately the vast majority of lithic finds have never been properly reported or analysed and two of the largest collections are in private hands and have never been notified to the Somerset HER.

The project will take the form of a rapid assessment of the extent, date and character of lithic collections from these areas and their suitability for further analysis.

Somerset produces one sixth of the UK’s aggregates needs, with the main extractions sites being located on the eastern Mendip hills in the north of the county. Other extraction occurs in the pebble beds of south Somerset and the Burtle sand beds of central Somerset.

In 2005 English Heritage commissioned the Historic Environment Service, of Somerset County Council to undertake The Somerset Assessment of Archaeological Resource in Aggregate Areas (SAARAA) project. As a result of SAARAA the assessment and analysis of un-catalogued lithic collections was identified as one of the highest priorities for future research (Firth 2006:200-226).

This project will focus on lithic collections recovered from the Mendip Hills and Burtle Beds aggregate areas, as defined in SAARRA (Firth 2006: 13-17). Where information is available the Somerset HER indicates that the archived lithic collections, from the Mendip Hills and Burtle Beds are held at the museums listed below. Two large private collections are also known to exist for these areas and the Historic Environment Service has been given permission to access them.

Somerset County Museum, Taunton
Wells Museum
Axbridge Museum
The University of Bristol Spelaeological Museum
Bristol Museum
North Somerset Museum, Weston-Super-Mare

Blades

Flint blades collected by Anne Everton from a site on Mendip

Project Aims

The two main aims of the project are:

1. To improve our understanding of the diversity, distribution and character of early prehistoric activity in the aggregate areas.
2. To improve the capability of the Somerset HER to answer research questions and to act as a robust platform for informing development control advice, future management strategies and agri-environment advice.

Project Scope

This project will assess the significant lithic collections documented on the Somerset HER, Museum records and the major private collections that are known to exist. The project will not undertake an exhaustive search of all museum collections that may have undocumented lithic finds incorporated within other archives. It will also not attempt to discover additional private collections beyond those known to the Somerset Finds Liaison Officer. Sites producing less than 20 lithics will be excluded from the project, unless known to be of Palaeolithic date.

The assessment will be rapid but will provide enough information to enable decisions to be reached about priorities for full analysis.

The Somerset HER will be enhanced by the project information in those cases where lithic discoveries can be identified to specific locations. Where finds can only be given an approximate location, for example to parish level, they will not be included on the HER, although the information will be included in the final project report.

The project will undertake re-labelling and improving the storage facilities for collections that need such work only in cases where this can be achieved within the project timescale. If a longer period of time is required for such tasks the relevant collections will be identified in the project report.

Products & Timescale

The project will run between October 2007 and January 2008. Regular updates will be posted on the Somerset County Council website, as will the final project report. The results of this project will be used in the development of a Stage 2 Project Design, which will recommend full analysis of those collections deemed appropriate in Stage 1.