The Environmental Setting of Erw-wen and Moel y Gerddi: Prehistoric Enclosures in Upland Ardudwy, North Wales

Abstract

The environmental setting of two late-prehistoric enclosures in upland Ardudwy, Gwynedd was investigated by pollen analysis of nearby valley mire deposits and of old ground surfaces revealed during excavation of the sites. Radiocarbon-dated pollen data indicate human influence on the local environment since Mesolithic times, with the major period of woodland clearance in the early Bronze Age. The two enclosures appear to have been constructed in an environment already substantially deforested. Remanent upland timber resources appear to have been substantially depleted during occupation of the sites, whilst soil acidification and/or climatic change may also have contributed to their eventual abandonment.