Moving with the times: mobility and diet of people and animals in prehistoric Lincolnshire
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Archaeology
Abstract
The prehistoric sites of Lincolnshire were last surveyed in a monograph by May (1976). While a new
overview is in preparation (Chowne, forthcoming) faunal remains from these sites have received little
analysis or synthesis. As a result, the region is lacking important bio-cultural information that can be
obtained through the study of human-animal relationships (Sykes 2014). My PhD research will fill this
knowledge gap. It will integrate zooarchaeology, stable isotope analysis and database modelling to
generate a new understanding of how the prehistoric communities of Lincolnshire behaved and
developed from the Neolithic to the end of the Iron Age.
My MSc in Archaeological Research (Distinction) has given me full training in the methods and theory
of animal bones analysis. I have remained a member of the Zooarchaeology Lab group since my
graduation. This proposal meshes with the Lab's current research focus - Lincolnshire is being used
as a 'timecore' for three of its AHRC funded projects examining isotope data over the longue durée. All
my isotope analysis and database work will be undertaken in collaboration with the NERC Isotope
Geosciences Laboratory (NIGL), where I was trained in isotope analysis as part of my MSc. I conducted
independent isotope research at NIGL for my dissertation, the results from which have been published
in two articles (Miller et al. 2016; Osborne, forthcoming). My extensive professional IT experience has
equipped me with all the necessary database development skills.
I have already contacted Lincolnshire Heritage Service and other institutions to gain access to archived
zooarchaeology collections as well as material from Neolithic funerary monuments on the Wolds
(University of York) and from the Lincolnshire Long Barrows Assessment Project (Historic England).
Imminent development work for the Lincoln Eastern Bypass is expected to require excavation of
prehistoric sites in its path that may provide additional faunal material.
overview is in preparation (Chowne, forthcoming) faunal remains from these sites have received little
analysis or synthesis. As a result, the region is lacking important bio-cultural information that can be
obtained through the study of human-animal relationships (Sykes 2014). My PhD research will fill this
knowledge gap. It will integrate zooarchaeology, stable isotope analysis and database modelling to
generate a new understanding of how the prehistoric communities of Lincolnshire behaved and
developed from the Neolithic to the end of the Iron Age.
My MSc in Archaeological Research (Distinction) has given me full training in the methods and theory
of animal bones analysis. I have remained a member of the Zooarchaeology Lab group since my
graduation. This proposal meshes with the Lab's current research focus - Lincolnshire is being used
as a 'timecore' for three of its AHRC funded projects examining isotope data over the longue durée. All
my isotope analysis and database work will be undertaken in collaboration with the NERC Isotope
Geosciences Laboratory (NIGL), where I was trained in isotope analysis as part of my MSc. I conducted
independent isotope research at NIGL for my dissertation, the results from which have been published
in two articles (Miller et al. 2016; Osborne, forthcoming). My extensive professional IT experience has
equipped me with all the necessary database development skills.
I have already contacted Lincolnshire Heritage Service and other institutions to gain access to archived
zooarchaeology collections as well as material from Neolithic funerary monuments on the Wolds
(University of York) and from the Lincolnshire Long Barrows Assessment Project (Historic England).
Imminent development work for the Lincoln Eastern Bypass is expected to require excavation of
prehistoric sites in its path that may provide additional faunal material.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Naomi Sykes (Primary Supervisor) | |
| David Osborne (Student) |
| Description | When did the cows come home? A multi-isotope exploration of local and regional grazing patterns in Bronze Age Lincolnshire |
| Amount | £36,750 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 2384.0321 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Department | National Environmental Isotope Facility (NEIF) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2021 |
| End | 07/2022 |
| Title | Faunal remains from Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Lincolnshire and the Fens |
| Description | Database of faunal remains excavated from Neolithic and Bronze Age sites identified in the county Historic Environment Record (HER) databases of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (Unitary Authority), collating data gathered from unpublished excavation reports ('grey literature'). |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Database brings together data from many unpublished excavation reports, making possible a synoptic overview of faunal remains of the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Lincolnshire and the Cambridgeshire Fens, searchable by species and location. |
| Description | Langtoft faunal remains and soil samples |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Department | Department of Archaeology and Anthropology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Results of isotope analysis, X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and diatom analysis will be made available to partner. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of excavated faunal remains, soil samples and associated documentation. |
| Impact | Isotope, XRF and other analyses are still in progress. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Conference poster presentation, Bronze Age Forum, Cambridge University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | My poster describing my research was exhibited with others at the Bronze Age Forum, held in Cambridge University and was selected by the panel of conference organisers as the winner of the prize for best poster, awarded by the Prehistoric Society. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |