Mesolithic, Iron Age and Saxon findings from excavations at Esher Park Avenue, Esher
PublicDeposited
Creator
Saxby, Dave
2019
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Abstract
An archaeological excavation at Esher Park Avenue, Esher revealed a 0.40m-thick layer of sand that produced some 1522 Early Mesolithic flints, including microlithic flint points, microburins and at least four core adze fragments and a scraper (c 9.3-9.0 ka BP). The flint assemblage suggests the presence of a discrete short-stay knapping episode, perhaps centred around a hearth or hearths. Activity appears to have been directed towards the maintenance and repair of hunting and foraging kit, rather than any long-stay ‘base-camp’ type occupation. The Iron Age is represented by a 3.80m-diameter circular structure indicated by a series of postholes that may be a small shelter. Pottery sherds from the fills of the postholes and within the nearby hill wash date the structure to the Middle to Late Iron Age. Lastly, a sequence of Saxon pits and gullies was truncated by a series of ard marks that represent a rare example of early ploughing on the site. Truncating the ard marks was a large pit, which produced pottery and loomweight fragments dated to the late 6th or 7th century AD.