Land at Scorer's Lane, Great Lumley: Excavation (OASIS ID: adarchae1-331908)

Strip and record prior to housing development in order to record a cluster of prehistoric pits located in an earlier trenching evaluation. The site consists of a cluster of prehistoric pits with areas of intense burning, situated between the pits and the line of a former stream. Four of the pits were curvilinear in shape and varied in size between 6m and 3m in length. A fifth pit was rectangular and had a small channel running into it at one end with a second channel leading into another of the pits. A smaller feature probably representing a posthole, was cut through the largest area of burning. Radiocarbon dating confirms a prehistoric date for these features with the main focus of activity being during the mid-Bronze Age period. Bayesian Analysis estimates that the main grouping of pits were in use by 1660-1530 cal BC (68% probability) with a final usage occurring by 1555-1395 cal BC (68% probability). The main period of activity is likely therefore to have occurred over a period of up to 225 years (68% probability). An earlier date from one of these features in the Neolithic period (3670-3540 cal BC) and a later date of late Bronze Age period/ early Iron Age date (800-540 cal BC) probably reflect long-term usage of the site, perhaps on a periodic or sporadic rather than a continuous basis. It is most probable that pits and areas of burning form components of a class of monument commonly referred to as 'burnt mounds'. These typically consisted of mounds of stones adjacent to pits or troughs located near to a stream or water source. The stones would be heated then placed within the pit or trough to boil water and produce steam. Whilst no mounds of discarded stones survived at the Scorer's Lane site, this is to be expected as ploughing in the medieval and postmedieval periods has removed any ground surface features contemporary with the pits. The discovery and recording of the features on this site represent a valuable contribution to the study of this class of site. Although there are a number of known or suspected "burnt mound sites" in County Durham and the North-East of England more generally, it is rare for there to be an opportunity to fully excavate and record one.

为记录此前沟槽勘查中发现的史前坑群，该地块在住宅开发前开展了地表剥离与遗迹记录工作。该遗址由一组史前坑群与多处高强度燃烧遗迹构成，遗迹分布于坑群与古河道沿线之间。其中4座坑体呈曲线形，尺寸跨度为长3米至6米不等；第五座坑体为长方形，其一端设有小型导流槽，另有一条导流槽连接至另一座坑体。一处面积最大的燃烧遗迹上，留存有一个小型疑似柱洞（posthole）的遗存。放射性碳定年（Radiocarbon dating）证实，上述遗迹均为史前遗存，主要活动时段集中于青铜时代中期。贝叶斯分析（Bayesian Analysis）估算，该坑群的主要使用时段为公元前1660年至公元前1530年（校准后，置信度68%），最终使用时段为公元前1555年至公元前1395年（校准后，置信度68%）。据此推测，遗址主要活动时段跨度可达225年（置信度68%）。其中一处遗迹的定年结果更早，为新石器时代（校准后公元前3670年至公元前3540年），另有一处较晚的定年结果属于青铜时代晚期/铁器时代早期（校准后公元前800年至公元前540年），这大概率反映该遗址经历了长期使用，且使用模式为周期性或间歇性，而非持续不间断。该遗址的坑体与燃烧遗迹，极有可能属于一类被称为“烧土墩（burnt mounds）”的史前纪念性遗存。这类遗存通常由紧邻坑体或水槽的石堆构成，且多选址于溪流或水源附近；人们会将加热后的石块置入坑体或水槽中，以加热水体并产生蒸汽。尽管斯科勒巷（Scorer's Lane）遗址未留存废弃石块堆遗存，但这一情况符合预期：中世纪及后中世纪时期的耕作活动已移除了与坑群同期的地表遗迹。本次斯科勒巷遗址遗迹的发现与记录，为该类遗存的研究提供了极具价值的资料。尽管在达勒姆郡及英格兰东北部地区，已发现或疑似存在多处“烧土墩遗址”，但能够对这类遗址进行全面发掘与记录的机会仍属罕见。