174 THE WILTSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY MAGAZINE 
comparison with assemblages from the ditch 
sequence. 
Both pits produced similar assemblages 
dominated by shade-loving species and almost 
completely devoid of open country taxa. The 
assemblages can be compared, not unfavourably, 
with the impoverished assemblages from the 
primary fill of the causewayed ditch, and some 
elements represent rock-rubble habitats (cf. Evans 
and Jones 1973). The pit assemblages are more 
typical of local woodland, or at least leaf litter as at 
Hambledon Hill (see Bell et al. in prep.). The only 
open country species of significance is Vallonia 
costata. Although known from open woodland 
habitats (Evans 1972), it is also a pioneering species 
to be expected in recently cleared woodland. 
Discussion 
Whether the woodland that evidently existed in the 
area prior to the construction of the causewayed 
enclosure and excavation of the pits was primeval 
or secondary woodland could not be ascertained 
with certainty. Nevertheless, soon after the 
construction of the causewayed enclosure there are 
hints that some regeneration of the woodland did 
occur but shell numbers are low and it is possible 
that they reflect an influx of species colonising the 
micro-environments created by the deep ditch. 
Woodland regeneration is recurrent in many other 
causewayed enclosures (Evans and Rouse 1991; 
Thomas 1982). 
It is evident that there was reuse of the area 
before the ditch was recut. The local woodland or 
shrubby habitat was again cleared enabling the 
establishment of a tall herbaceous vegetation, 
possibly lightly grazed rough pasture with some 
shrubs. It was into this environment that the ditch 
was recut, perhaps associated with a phase of more 
intensive (?sheep) grazed grassland producing a 
short dry downland turf. 
Charcoal 
by Rowena Gale 
Charcoal was examined from contexts within seven 
of the interior feature groups in order to establish 
the nature of the woody vegetation in the 
surrounding environment and _ provide any 
indication of its exploitation. Identification and 
methodology follow Gale and Cutler (2000). 
Although only fragments larger than 2mm were 
selected for detailed examination, some were still 
too small to assess whether they arose from stem 
material or from more mature wood. Any possible 
distinction is indicated in Table 7. 
The identifications show a uniformity of genera 
throughout the features. Whilst the number of 
fragments identified from each feature is variable, 
the overall picture is one of a predominance of hazel, 
with ash and the Pomoideae group also frequently 
present, and oak and Prunus noticeably less 
common. Many of the fragments were stem or twiggy 
pieces. The abundance of hazel wood conforms to 
the plentiful deposits of hazel nut shells in every pit 
and a sample from one feature (1299) was made up 
exclusively from hazel nut fragments. 
Table 7. Whitesheet Hill: Charcoal Identification 
Feature Context Species identified 
Corylus 
pit 1295 1294 21% Tks 
1321 18 10* 
1322 3 5 
pit 1303 1346 34* 8 
recut 1368 1302 58* 8* 
1338 61* 8* 
saucer pit 1293 1323 29 1 
1350 1 - 
posthole 1326 1325 - 1 
natural feature 1297 1337 48 es 
1343 2 - 
feature 1299 1298 - - 
feature 1301 1300 l - 
?RB feature 1291 1325 el 1 
1290 4 - 
NOTE: * indicates stem material. 
Fraxinus 
Quercus Pomoideae Prunus 
. 10 if 
2 24 7 
