The Later Neolithic - Grimes Graves

It would be tempting to suggest that Breckland's flakes overwhelmingly date to the Bronze and even Iron Ages. However, large number of Later Neolithic flint arrowheads have been recorded here. Examples recovered during the Project include oblique and transverse types. The material used on the arrowheads appears to be typical of many of the flakes - fresh and dark. The presence of these arrowheads also suggests that hunting continued to play an important role in the local economy. The Later Neolithic period has most probably made a significant contribution to the Brecks lithic scatters, however, there have been suggestions that until the end of this period, much local occupation may have remained seasonal - with groups exploiting the best grazing soils for livestock, maybe some cultivation of the best soils in the river valleys, and no doubt, the collection of good flint raw material. Some groups that traditionally exploited these resources in Breckland, probably lived along the Fen-edge to the west for part of the year. Neolithic pottery is unlikely to survive the harshness of Brecks sand - which is acidic, and prone to ground frosts, and no earlier ceramics than Beaker ware (Late Neolithic - Early Bronze Age) were recovered from the surface during the surveys.

Breckland's best known late prehistoric monument is the Grimes Graves Late Neolithic/Bronze Age flint mine complex. The mines appear to have come into use towards the end of the Stone Ages, but were mined for the local high quality floorstone flint over many years, continuing through to the beginning of the Early Bronze Age. Four to five hundred shafts were sunk, at a rate of one or two per year. It has been estimated that each shaft would have produced some eight tonnes of flint nodules - where all this flint went to is still a mystery. Axe production did take place, but they do not appear to have been the only product. The miners used picks fashioned from red deer antlers, and stone axes to dig the mines. It has been estimated that some 120 red deer would need to have been managed to keep the miners in picks, meat, and clothing at any one point.

There is plenty of evidence from excavations at the mines, of ritual and ceremonial activities. It has often been speculated, that the floorstone flint from Grimes Graves may have had some sort of special cultural value to it - when it was used, exchanged, given - a value that it came from somewhere special may have travelled with it. Lowering themselves up to a depth of 12 metres below the surface, and crawling along the low galleries that followed the floorstone seam, working by the light of animal fat candles floating in little chalk cups - the miners may well have felt that they were entering another world with a spiritual connection.

Healy mentioned the existence of a Grimes Graves Belt of lithic scatters on the north side of the Little Ouse Valley across the parishes of Santon, and Weeting. Yes, I would agree that this is a distinct archaeological phenomena. The belt is not consistent, but there are a number of very high density flake scatters in that area - especially between the mines, and the river. It would be wrong to ignore a possible relationship between the scatters, and the mines. I hope to add an article on the Grimes Graves flint mines site sometime in the future.

The Bronze and Iron Ages

Many of the struck flints in the Brecks are very suggestive of Bronze Age date - with some lumpy tools, hinge fractures, frequent miscellaneous retouch, irregular shapes. Finds close to Grimes Graves include a number of lumpy piercers. Early Bronze Age arrowheads found include barbed and tanged, and triangular types. Round barrows are common across the district, and new examples are still being recorded in the Forest. Several sherds of (probable) Bronze Age pottery were recovered during surveys on upland soils in West Stow, suggesting either non-riverine settlement, or prehistoric manure-scatter?

Midden remains of a Middle Bronze Age settlement that were deposited in shaft infills at Grimes Graves, have been excavated, and analysis of the finds suggested that there must have been much settlement somewhere nearby. Cattle bones found in the middens suggested that they may have been dairy farming. The Drove track that cuts through Santon Warren, past local meres - between the Harling area and the Fen Edge, has long been considered to be a pre-Roman road. If this is the case, then it could date back to the Bronze Age - a time when people were really starting to settle down into permanent patterns of communities and, field systems. A recent excavation at Game Farm, Brandon uncovered such a settlement, including enclosure ditches, gulleys, and postholes for sub-circular houses.

It used to be thought that the Brecks heaths were created by Neolithic deforestation. However, modern landscape studies, and pollen analysis presently suggest that deforestation was much more gradual - suggesting maybe, a more casual approach to cultivation than was once thought - with pastoralism possibly the mainstay of the local economy. The better slope soils of the river valleys were probably cleared by the Early Bronze Age, but significant tracts of forest continued to exist on some of the uplands much later. Murphy suggests that deforestation of some uplands may have not occurred until the Late Iron Age or Early Roman periods.

There appear to be some similarities between barrow finds in the Breckland area, and those in Wessex - such as the finds in a barrow excavated at Little Cressingham - a crouched skeleton was buried with a grooved bronze dagger and gold sewed to the clothing. An exciting recent find - or rediscovery, was of the Whitehill bell barrow in the forest at Brandon. Bell barrows are more often found in Wessex, where they are usually dated to the Middle Bronze Age.

Iron Age archaeology is notoriously difficult to detect on the surface. A few sherds of Iron Age pottery were recovered, and a probable small riverside settlement was recorded. A so-called Hill Fort was believed to have been built at the bottom of the valley in Thetford during the Middle Iron Age. The enclosure was later incorporated into the defenses of a Norman Medieval castle, whose earthworks are now located at Castle Hill Park, Thetford. A square enclosure, believed to be ritual or/and political was built at Barnham. This was abandoned in the 1st century BC, about the time a new more extravagant enclosure was built on top of Gallows Hill, Thetford. This enclosure was almost certainly associated with the royal family of the Iceni tribal federation, and must have been involved in the rebellion against Rome lead by Queen Boudicca. But thats history...