We currently have an evaluation underway at a site in Plumstead, Greenwich, where we’re investigating the geoarchaeological deposits of the Thames in a prehistoric peat bog and hoping to find evidence of early Neolithic activity.
The site lies in the central region of the River Thames floodplain, just to the south of a site at Belmarsh West where two superimposed Neolithic trackways were found in 2008. Radiocarbon dating has shown the structures to be nearly 6,000 years old, the earliest yet found in London. The trackways were found at a depth of 4.7m, and it seems they were constructed in response to rising water levels in the floodplain. The preservation or organic matter in peat is excellent; the lack of oxygen deters microbes that cause decomposition, so we’re hoping for abundant palaeoenvironmental evidence in addition to potential remnants of human exploitation of the marshland, which would have been an important resource for food at the time.
The structures were found adjacent to a major palaeochannel cutting through the peat, and the first stage of deposit modelling and geoarchaeological evaluation demonstrate a continuation of this feature onto our site. We have located trenches to determine the extent of this channel, and this week we’ll be opening further trenches within the river bed. We’ll keep you posted with our findings!
