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OS Card
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Ordnance Survey Record Card. Before the 1970s the Ordnance Survey (OS) were responsible for recording archaeological monuments during mapping exercises. This helped the Ordnance Survey to decide which monuments to publish on maps. During these exercises the details of the monuments were written down on record cards. Copies of some of the cards are kept at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. The responsibility for recording archaeological monuments later passed to the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments.
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TBAS
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Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is a journal produced by the society annually. It contains articles about archaeological field work that has taken place in Birmingham and Warwickshire in previous years. Copies of the journal are kept by the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record.
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Earthwork
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Earthworks can take the form of banks, ditches and mounds. They are usually created for a specific purpose. A bank, for example, might be the remains of a boundary between two or more fields. Some earthworks may be all that remains of a collapsed building, for example, the grassed-over remains of building foundations.
In the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky than during the other seasons, earthworks have larger shadows. From the air, archaeologists are able to see the patterns of the earthworks more easily. Earthworks can sometimes be confusing when viewed at ground level, but from above, the general plan is much clearer.
Archaeologists often carry out an aerial survey or an earthwork survey to help them understand the lumps and bumps they can see on the ground.
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Iron Age
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About 800 BC to 43 AD
The Iron Age comes after the Bronze Age and before the Roman period. It is a time when people developed the skills and knowledge to work and use iron, hence the name ‘Iron Age’ which is given to this period. Iron is a much tougher and more durable metal than bronze but it also requires more skill to make objects from it. People continued to use bronze during this period.
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FIELDWORK *
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A usually temporary earthwork or fortification, the latter constructed by military forces operating in the field. Use more specific type where known.
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HOLLOW *
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A hollow, concave formation or place, which has sometimes been dug out.
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SITE *
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Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible.
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WHEEL RUT *
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A linear groove worn into the surface of a road or thoroughfare by the continuous passage of wheeled vehicles. Usually expected to occur in pairs.
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LOCK *
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A section of the water channel on a canal or river shut off above and below by lock gates provided with sluices to let the water out and in, and thus raise or lower boats from one level to another. Use more specific type where known.
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CANAL *
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An artificial navigable waterway used for the transportation of goods. Nowadays also used for recreational purposes.
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MILL *
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A factory used for processing raw materials. Use more specific mill type where known. See also TEXTILE MILL, for more narrow terms.
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FEATURE *
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Areas of indeterminate function.
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RAMPART *
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A protective earthen mound, often the main defence of a fortification.
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ROAD *
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A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles.
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PIT *
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A hole or cavity in the ground, either natural or the result of excavation. Use more specific type where known.
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WELL *
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A shaft or pit dug in the ground over a supply of spring-water.
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FIELD *
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An area of land, often enclosed, used for cultivation or the grazing of livestock.
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DEFENCE *
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This is the top term for the class. See DEFENCE Class List for narrow terms.
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BRIDGE *
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A structure of wood, stone, iron, brick or concrete, etc, with one or more intervals under it to span a river or other space. Use specific type where known.
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DITCH *
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A long and narrow hollow or trench dug in the ground, often used to carry water though it may be dry for much of the year.
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GARDEN *
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An enclosed piece of ground devoted to the cultivation of flowers, fruit or vegetables and/or recreational purposes. Use more specific type where known.
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PLANTATION *
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A group of planted trees or shrubs, generally of uniform age and of a single species.
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HILLFORT *
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A hilltop enclosure bounded by one or more substantial banks, ramparts and ditches. Use more specific type where known.
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FOREST *
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A large tract of land covered with trees and interspersed with open areas of land. Traditionally forests were owned by the monarchy and had their own laws.
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EARTHWORK *
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A bank or mound of earth used as a rampart or fortification.
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SCARP *
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A steep bank or slope. In fortifications, the bank or wall immediately in front of and below the rampart.
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RESERVOIR *
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A large natural or artificial body of water, sometimes covered, used to collect and store water for a particular function, eg. industrial or public use.
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* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)
