ABSTRACT
As mentioned i n Chapter 3, s i t e s were defined during the course of f i e l d w o r k i n terms of d i s t i n c t s c a t t e r s of surface m a t e r i a l . For example, two d i s c r e t e s c a t t e r s l o c a t e d more than 100 metres apart would normally be recorded as separate s i t e s i n the f i e l d . This approach can be described as a s p l i t t i n g s t r a t e g y : i t has the advantage t h a t s p a t i a l d i s t i n c t i o n s are emphasised. As one moves from f i e l d w o r k t o a n a l y s i s , i t i s u s e f u l t o t h i n k i n terms of those surface s c a t t e r s t h a t occur l o c a l l y as a group or t h a t form a c l u s t e r on the landscape. For want of a b e t t e r term, such a c l u s t e r can be r e f e r r e d t o as a s i t e complex. The aim of t h i s chapter i s t o describe the s i x main n e o l i t h i c complexes t h a t have been recognised as a r e s u l t of survey work i n the Acconia area. I n d e s c r i b i n g a s i t e complex, a t t e n t i o n i s drawn t o i t s major f e a t u r e s and p a t t e r n s : more d e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n on each s i t e i s contained i n the i n d i v i d u a l s i t e r e p o r t s being p r i n t e d as a separate c a t a logue. I t i s worth s t r e s s i n g t h a t the two main p r o p e r t i e s t h a t the s i t e s belonging t o a given complex share are s p a t i a l p r o x i m i t y and a common environmental s e t t i n g . Caution i s c a l l e d f o r when i t comes t o t h i n k i n g about a complex i n occupational terms. Scatters of m a t e r i a l t h a t occur i n d i f f e r e n t p a r t s of a complex may or may not comprise a c t u a l components of the same se t t l e m e n t . The s i t u a t i o n , as i s o f t e n the case i n archaeology, i s an ambiguous one. Moreover, the ambiguity may not be
The p o i n t here i s t h a t a l l t h a t easy t o resolve by means of survey evidence alone. care should be taken i n not a t t a c h i n g more meaning t o a s i t e complex, at l e a s t i n i t i a l l y , than simply t h a t of a group of surface s c a t t e r s found i n reasonably p r o x i m i t y t o one another. I n o p e r a t i o n a l terms, a s i t e complex can be viewed as b u i l d i n g block i n survey archaeology t h a t needs t o be explored as p a r t of the i n v e s t i g a t i o n of settlement p a t t e r n s
6.1 Complex A The complex which i s l o c a t e d at the eastern end of the c e n t r a l dune r i d g e i n
cludes s i t e s 44 t o 47 (see F i g . 6.1). Since 1977, extensive work has been done here w i t h 'Piana d i Curinga 1 being the name given t o the settlement when excava t i o n s have been conducted. The dune area has a r o l l i n g r e l i e f and reaches at i t s highest p o i n t ( i n the area between 44-03 and 44-06) an e l e v a t i o n of j u s t over 40 metres above sea l e v e l . The dune i s somewhat lower at i t s eastern end where the u n d e r l y i n g f l u v i a l t e r r a c e s form the land surface at the dune edge. The slope on the n o r t h side of the dune, which has been a r t i f i c a l l y m o d i f i e d i n recent times f o r a g r i c u l t u r a l purposes, was o r i g i n a l l y q u i t e steep. I t leads down t o the stream v a l l e y of the Randace which c a r r i e s water throughout the year and would have pro¬ vided a close and r e l i a b l e source of water f o r those l i v i n g at the complex. There i s also a narrow stream v a l l e y t h a t defines the south side of the dune area. The small stream here also provides a source of water d u r i n g a l l except the d r i e s t summer months. I t i s worth commenting t h a t water c o l l e c t s i n the marshy depression between s i t e 46 and s i t e 64 which i s l o c a t e d t o the south: l i v e s t o c k can be watered
here d u r i n g the summer months as i s done by farmers and shepherds i n the area today. The stream v a l l e y s also serve as the source f o r the various pebbles and cobbles t h a t were apparently employed i n a wide range of a c t i v i t i e s at nearby n e o l i t h i c s i t e s .
