The Howick Project: An Introduction
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The Howick Project: An Introduction |
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Amateur archaeologists John Davies and Jim Hutchinson discovered Mesolithic flint artefacts eroding from a cliff-edge at Howick, Northumberland. This prompted a detailed investigation of the site by archaeologists from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne during the summers of 2000 and 2002. The remains of a Mesolithic hut were discovered revealing evidence of three distinct structural phases. Twenty-one radiocarbon dates taken from successive hearth features indicate that the hut was constructed c. 7,800 BC (cal). The Howick structure is therefore the earliest dated evidence for human settlement in Northumberland, and moreover, is one of only a few Stone Age dwellings known from the British Isles. Over 18,000 pieces of flint were recovered during the excavations, as well as charred animal bone, charred hazelnut shells, red ochre and occasional shell fragments. All finds had their location recorded through the use of a Total Station, and all archaeological deposits were passed through a sieve and flotation tank to maximise recovery. As a result, the work at Howick represents one of the most detailed Mesolithic excavations hitherto undertaken anywhere in Europe. |
| In addition to the Mesolithic structure, 5 Bronze Age cists were discovered. The presence of cist cemeteries on promontories along the coast has been noted elsewhere in Northumberland, demonstrating the importance attached to the sea by Bronze Age folk. |
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