Monument record IPS 2121 - Late Bronze Age Settlement and associated cremation cemetery on Land at Europa Way

Excavation revealed features dating from the later prehistoric to modern periods, with the focus comprising a Late Bronze Age settlement, field/boundary system and small cremation cemetery. The settlement, represented by two post-built roundhouses, numerous four- and six-post structures, post-hole groups, two ring-gullies, and several pits, extended across the excavation area. The field system was aligned on a NE to SW axis, with the small (unurned) cremation cemetery positioned in a discrete location to the SE of the settlement. A significant assemblage of Post-Deverel–Rimbury ceramics was recovered from features associated with the settlement, alongside occasional sherds of earlier and later date. The Late Bronze Age assemblage includes potential evidence for pottery manufacture on or near to the site. Other finds of note include fired clay weights, a clay spindle whorl, worked flint including a rare example of a flint quern, and a copper-alloy pin. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History 2024 (S1).

15 of 21 evaluation trenches revealed features comprising ditches, gullies, pits, ring gullies and a cremation. Most features were dated to the Late Bronze/Early Iron Age by Post-Deverel–Rimbury type pottery (PDR). Other dated features included a ditch containing Roman pottery and a pit with a possible medieval sherd. The distribution of features suggests a potential Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age settlement across most of the land parcel. 1 of 2 potential ring gullies (which could represent drip gullies) produced substantial amounts of PDR pottery. These remains indicate occupation, possibly associated with cremations. Later Roman and medieval finds were scarce and likely to represent activity taking place in the vicinity as opposed to within the site itself. Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History 2022 (S2).

2021: A total of twenty-one trenches were excavated, fifteen of which revealed archaeological features. A series of ditches, gullies, pits, ring gullies and a cremation were investigated. One ditch contained Roman pottery and a pit a sherd of possible medieval pottery, post-medieval pottery was also recovered from another ditch, but otherwise all features were dated by Post-Deverel-Rimbury (PDR) and/or Early Iron Age pottery or remain undated. The distribution of the archaeology suggests a potential Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age occupation site spread across the majority of the land parcel. Two potential ring gullies which could represent drip gullies were investigated, one of which produced substantial amounts of PDR pottery, these combined with the presence of a cremation support the potential for occupation activity taking place on the site. Later Roman and medieval finds were scarce and those recovered are likely to be representative of activity taking place within the vicinity of the site during these periods as opposed to within the site bounds itself (S3).

2024: The excavation, located in the wider Gipping valley, revealed features dating from the later prehistoric to modern periods, although the main focus comprised a Late Bronze Age settlement, field/boundary system and small cremation cemetery. The settlement, represented by two post-built roundhouses, numerous four- and six-post structures and posthole groups, two ring-gullies and several pits, extended across the excavation area, with more than one sub-phase of activity discernible. The ditches were aligned on a northeast to southwest axis, with the small (unurned) cremation cemetery positioned in a discrete location to the south-east of the settlement. A significant assemblage of Post Deverel-Rimbury ceramics (c. 1150-800 BC) was recovered from features associated with the settlement, alongside occasional sherds of earlier (Late Neolithic and Middle Bronze Age) and later (Middle Iron Age and Roman) date. The Late Bronze Age assemblage includes potential evidence for pottery manufacture on or near to the site. Other finds of note include several (fragmented) fired clay weights, a clay spindlewhorl, worked flint including a rare example of a flint quern, and a copper-alloy pin. Preservation of environmental remains was poor, although the assessments of the samples and faunal remains appears to show a fairly typical picture for a small and perhaps short-lived farm/homestead of this period in the region. The Europa Way excavation has very good potential to contribute to a number of current research questions relating to Late Bronze Age settlement, land-use, ceramics, chronology and funerary practices, especially if underpinned by a suite of radiocarbon dating (S4, S5).