INVESTIGATION OF THE WHITESHEET DOWN ENVIRONS 1989-90 Wi 
pits. Whilst these were undoubtedly a valuable food 
resource, they indicate that scrub woodland may 
have been present on, or near, the occupation site. 
Small numbers of Corylus pollen grains are present 
but in view of its high pollen production it appears 
that by the later Neolithic represented by these 
upper ditch samples, hazel had been largely 
removed from the local environment. 
Herb pollen numbers comprise the larger part 
of the pollen spectra, dominated by Compositae and 
Liguliflorae in large part due to the effects of 
differential preservation in their favour. Their 
presence indicates that these Compositae were 
growing on the site at some earlier stage. It is not, 
however, possible to state precisely whether these 
are indicative of pasture, as is often assumed. The 
presence of other herb taxa indicates that grassland 
was dominant. Ranunculus type, Plantago 
lanceolata, Poterium sanguisorba, Scabiosa, Centaurea 
and Gramineae may be indicative of such a 
grassland and perhaps pastoral habitat. The 
absence of cereal pollen and arable weeds in the 
spectra may be used as evidence (albeit negative) for 
a grassland rather than cultivated environments. 
A substantial number of spores of ferns were 
also recovered, especially in the lower levels of the 
section (context 1328, 78-100 cm). Spores, as with 
Compositae, are similarly frequently over- 
represented in pollen spectra from chalk soils. 
Pteridium aquilinum, Polypodium and monolete 
spores of Dryopteris type are relatively abundant. 
Polypodium and Dryopteris type are likely to have 
remained for longer periods in the soil than most of 
the pollen types noted above and represent an 
earlier period of woodland growing on the site. 
Although Polypodium is frequently found in open 
habitats (e.g. dunes, epiphytic on trees and on 
walls) this may be regarded as a largely woodland 
taxon. 
Preridium aquilinum has also frequently been 
recorded in later prehistoric soils from the 
downlands (Dimbleby and Evans 1974). Similar 
abundances of Pteridium have been recorded from 
the soils underlying South Street Long barrow 
(Dimbleby and Evans 1974; Dimbleby 1986) and at 
Hazelton North Long Barrow, Gloucestershire 
(Scaife 1990, 218). This has posed an interesting 
problem discussed by Dimbleby (1986) who notes 
that bracken does not occur as a normal component 
of the chalk vegetation today, being characteristic of 
neutral to acid soils. This may be a result of spores 
being introduced from dung of cattle which had 
been grazing on older and non-poisonous bracken 
(Dimbleby 1986, 144), or manuring, or possibly the 
presence of locally more acidic soils. Bracken was in 
the past a valuable resource for a variety of uses 
including domestic and animal bedding (Rymer 
1976; Clapham and Scaife 1988). It is also possible 
that bracken may have regenerated subsequent to 
forest/scrub clearance when soils were thicker, more 
stable and possibly decalcified. Pteridium, a 
frequent colonizer after fire whose spores are also 
relatively resistant to decay, may derive from an 
earlier stage of woodland and soil characteristics. 
Conclusion 
Pollen analysis of base-rich chalk soils is always less 
satisfactory than that of acid soils. In spite of this 
useful interpretations have been made, especially 
when compared with data from plant macro-fossil 
and molluscan analyses. Results shows that the 
local environment was largely devoid of trees, 
although some localised growth and/or woodland at 
some distance may be indicated by sporadic poilen 
occurrence of oak, lime, beech, hazel and alder. 
Herb pollen are dominated by Compositae 
(Liguliflorae) largely over-represented through 
differential preservation. This latter taxon, along 
with other herbs, is suggestive of a grassland 
environment. There is no indication of cereal or 
other cultivation. That woodland and/or scrub 
existed prior to clearance is evidenced by 
substantial quantities of spores (again differentially 
preserved) of Polypodium and _ monolete 
(Dryopteris type) that have remained in the buried 
soil. The characteristic presence of Pteridium in 
chalk soils is also noted at this site. While the 
possibility of manuring is considered, it seems 
more plausible that the spores of bracken may 
result from earlier episodes of burning of 
woodland/scrub on the site, perhaps when soils 
were of a different character. 
Plant remains 
by Pat Hinton 
Charred plant remains floated from _ the 
environmental samples were sorted by binocular 
microscope at x7-40 magnification. Samples were 
from internal features and dominated by fragments 
of hazel nut shells. Fragments larger than c. 2 x 
2mm were removed and added to those previously 
extracted from the 5.6mm and 2mm fractions of the 
residues during the flotation procedures. These are 
recorded by weight in Table 9 although many 
smaller fragments remain unsorted. 
