The Mesolithic Hut 

Work in the structure at an early stage of investigation. Note the subtle colour differences that indicate archaeological deposits. This made excavation slow and painstaking.

Fieldwork at Howick has taken place over two seasons: the first in 2000 and the final one in the summer of 2002. An initial evaluation took place in 2000 and this led to the identification of the remains of a hut comprising a circular sunken area with a ring of inner posts, 0.1 - 0.15 m in diameter, filled with occupation debris and structural features. The deposits were eroding down the cliff edge as a result of slippage, resulting in truncation along one side. On the basis of this work a full recording project was initiated that sought to investigate the structure in detail and to place it in its wider landscape setting. The ensuing research strategy adopted a fieldwork programme that included fieldwalking, geophysical survey, test-pitting, sediment coring, soil analysis and geomorphological characterisation, as well as a large open area excavation around the site. The excavation revealed evidence for what is one of the best-

preserved Mesolithic structures found in the British Isles. Twenty-one radiocarbon dates have so far been obtained from deposits within the structure, dating the construction of the first hut to around 7,800 BC (Cal.).

A view of the structure interior as the excavation proceeds. The darker sediments represent discrete features.
The structure had filled up with successive lenses of debris representing what appear to be long-lived occupations, though further dates should enable the length of occupation to be determined in calendar years. One of the key questions to be addressed is whether occupation at the site was permanent, semi-permanent or seasonal. Either way the current dates indicate that the hut was used for at least a hundred or more years. The continuous stratigraphic sequence suggests that there were no considerable gaps between the occupations. The structural evidence from the building has shown that it was completely rebuilt on the same site twice, as there was a successive rings of post holes discovered at higher levels sitting on top of deposits that covered the remains of the original post sockets. An
assemblage of over 16,000 lithics have been recovered from within the structure which belong to a narrow blade-based industry. In particular there are large quantities of microliths, including many scalene triangles and backed blades, together with scrapers, awls, cores and flakes. This flintwork is particularly noteworthy as it contains no intrusive material that may otherwise distort analysis.

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