|
SMR Card
|
Sites and Monuments Record Card. The Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record began to be developed during the 1970s. The details of individual archaeological sites and findspots were written on record cards. These record cards were used until the 1990s, when their details were entered on to a computerised system. The record cards are still kept at the office of the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record.
|
| back |
|
Cropmark
|
Cropmarks appear as light and dark marks in growing and ripening crops. These marks relate to differences in the soil below. For example, parched lines of grass may indicate stone walls. Crops that grow over stone features often ripen more quickly and are shorter than the surrounding crop. This is because there is less moisture in the soil where the wall lies.
more ->
|
| back |
|
Aerial Photograph
|
Aerial photographs are taken during an aerial survey, which involves looking at the ground from above. It is usually easier to see cropmarks and earthworks when they are viewed from above. Aerial photographs help archaeologists to record what they see and to identify new sites. There are two kinds of aerial photographs; oblique and vertical.
|
| back |
|
Bronze Age
|
About 2500 BC to 700 BC
The Bronze Age comes after the Neolithic period and before the Iron Age.
The day to day life of people in the Bronze Age probably changed little from how their ancestors had lived during the Neolithic period. They still lived in farmsteads, growing crops and rearing animals.
During the Bronze Age people discovered how to use bronze, an alloy of tin and copper (hence the name that has given to this era). They used it to make their tools and other objects, although they continued to use flint and a range of organic materials as well. A range of bronze axes, palstaves and spears has been found in Warwickshire. more ->
|
| back |
|
Iron Age
|
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. more ->
|
| back |
|
SITE *
|
Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible.
|
| back |
|
FEATURE *
|
Areas of indeterminate function.
|
| back |
|
RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE *
|
A rectangular shaped area of land enclosed by a boundary ditch, bank, wall, palisade or similar barrier.
|
| back |
|
PIT *
|
A hole or cavity in the ground, either natural or the result of excavation. Use more specific type where known.
|
| back |
|
LINEAR FEATURE *
|
A length of straight, curved or angled earthwork or cropmark of uncertain date or function.
|
| back |
|
ENCLOSURE *
|
An area of land enclosed by a boundary ditch, bank, wall, palisade or other similar barrier. Use specific type where known.
|
| back |
|
RING DITCH *
|
Circular or near circular ditches, usually seen as cropmarks. Use the term where the function is unknown. Ring ditches may be the remains of ploughed out round barrows, round houses, or of modern features such as searchlight emplacements.
|
| back |
* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)