Putative Ritual Deposition of Neolithic Stone Axes in a Wetland Context in Cumbria: Refining the narrative using beetle remains

Abstract

Analysis of beetle remains from sediments thought to be contemporary to a Neolithic axe cache in the English Lake District has provided information allowing a more detailed interpretation of the depositional environment than was previously available at the time of the original excavation. The results suggest that the axes were deposited in a waterside location, possibly in shallow open water on the edge of a wooded 'island' surrounded by wetland habitats. The beetle remains also provide detail to the description of the woodland environment, and include a number of dead-wood species including a post-Elm Decline example of Scolytus scolytus, the elm bark beetle; such data are rare for north west England. The study illustrates how environmental archaeology can contribute not only a description of the environmental 'stage' upon which human activities are played out, but in this case can also directly add information relevant to the interpretation of putative prehistoric ritual behaviour.