Books by Elizabeth Foulds
Studies of Iron Age artefacts from Britain tend to be dominated either by the study of metalwork,... more Studies of Iron Age artefacts from Britain tend to be dominated either by the study of metalwork, or pottery. This book presents a study not only of a different material, but also a different type of object: glass beads. These are found in a range of different sizes, shapes, colours, and employ a variety of different decorative motifs.
Through an analysis of glass beads from four key study regions in Britain, the book aims not only to address regional differences in appearance and chronology, but also to explore the role that this object played within the networks and relationships that constructed Iron Age society. It seeks to understand how they were used during their lives and how they came to be deposited within the archaeological record, in order to establish the social processes that glass beads were bound within.
The results indicate that glass beads were a strongly regionalised artefact, potentially reflecting differing local preferences for colour and motif. In addition, glass beads, in combination with several other types of object, were integral to Middle Iron Age dress. Given that the first century BC is often seen as a turning point in terms of settlements and material culture, this supports the possibility of strong continental exchange during an earlier period for either glass beads or raw materials. However, by the Late Iron Age in the first century BC and early first century AD, their use had severely diminished.
Articles by Elizabeth Foulds
Archaeology County Durham, 2020
Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, 2023
The Archaeological Journal, 2019
A well-furnished, Late Iron Age Durotrigian burial was found in 2010 by a metal-detectorist at La... more A well-furnished, Late Iron Age Durotrigian burial was found in 2010 by a metal-detectorist at Langton Herring in Dorset. This report examines all aspects of the discovery, paying particular attention to the skeletal remains, a female aged 19-24, providing the most complete, osteobiographical study of an individual buried with a mirror assemblage from the European Iron Age. A combination of artefacts and radiocarbon dating gives a range for the burial of c. AD 25cal AD 53. The grave goods themselves are of exceptional interest, representing an accumulation of artefacts acquired from diverse sources, deposited at a time of major cultural and societal change in southern Britain. The results of a geophysical survey are also presented, together with a discussion of additional wellfurnished burials in the Durotrigian tribal tradition, which place the burial deposit within a wider social and landscape framework.
Archaeological Textile Review, 2017
Archaeological works undertaken as part of Highways England’s A1 road improvement scheme between ... more Archaeological works undertaken as part of Highways England’s A1 road improvement scheme between Leeming Bar and Barton encountered a large rural Roman cemetery at Bainesse, near Catterick in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. A copper-alloy bead was found to contain preserved string formed of two strands of an organic material twisted together in one of more than 200 burials. Scanning electron microscopy analysis suggests that the string was made of a club moss or a related species of fibre. This discovery further widens the repertoire of indigenous plant species used in Roman Britain for the production of textiles and emphasises the importance of fibre identification even of small organic remains.
Later Prehistoric Finds Group Newsletter, Dec 2014
Book Chapters by Elizabeth Foulds
A1 Leeming to Barton, Death, Burial and Identity, 3,000 years of death in the Vale of Mowbray, 2019
Contact, Concord and Conquest: Britons and Romans at Scotch Corner, 2020
A Biography of Power: Bagendon ‘oppidum’, 2020
A Biography of Power: Bagendon ‘oppidum’, 2020
Fingerprinting the Iron Age: Approaches to identity in the European Iron Age: Integrating South-Eastern Europe into the debate , 2014
Book Reviews by Elizabeth Foulds
The Archaeological Journal
The Archaeological Journal , 2022
The Archaeological Journal, 2018
This book presents the results of the excavations at 10 Gresham Street, London. The report is cle... more This book presents the results of the excavations at 10 Gresham Street, London. The report is clearly laid out with the reader in mindand it contains clear discussion sections that not only examine the features and artefacts, but also consider the social significance of the site. Clear maps with relevant nearby sites and mock reconstructions of the site features help the reader to understand the spatial relationships at the site and within the wider area. The finds catalogues at the end are especially useful to the casual reader and specialist, as both traditional illustrations and colour photographs of artefacts are used.
Archaeological Journal 167, 237-8, 2010
Heslop, D. H. 2008. Patterns of Quern Production, Acquisition and Deposition: a corpus of beehive... more Heslop, D. H. 2008. Patterns of Quern Production, Acquisition and Deposition: a corpus of beehive querns from Northern Yorkshire and Southern Durham, Leeds: Yorks. Archaeol. Soc. Occ. Papers, 5. Pp. xi+175, illus 70, plates 26. ISBN 971 1 903564 75 2.
Archaeological Review from Cambridge, Volume 25.1, 183-185, 2010
Reports by Elizabeth Foulds
Two teams conducted a geophysical survey at the Iron Age site of Swallowcliffe Down (SM AM837) in... more Two teams conducted a geophysical survey at the Iron Age site of Swallowcliffe Down (SM AM837) in Wiltshire (ST96782543) in July 2014. The aim of the survey was to locate the pits excavated in the 1920s by Dr RCC Clay, to find evidence for any other unexcavated features, and evidence for the extent of the site. The survey focused on two areas. The first was a small area that contained an earthwork, described by Clay as a ‘circus’ or ‘amphitheatre’ that lays to the south. To the north is the main area of the survey that contained parts of an enclosure ditch and numerous pits. Results revealed a number of circular negative features in this area, many of which were the previously excavated pits. However, the survey also revealed unexcavated pits and circular features that may be roundhouses.
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Books by Elizabeth Foulds
Through an analysis of glass beads from four key study regions in Britain, the book aims not only to address regional differences in appearance and chronology, but also to explore the role that this object played within the networks and relationships that constructed Iron Age society. It seeks to understand how they were used during their lives and how they came to be deposited within the archaeological record, in order to establish the social processes that glass beads were bound within.
The results indicate that glass beads were a strongly regionalised artefact, potentially reflecting differing local preferences for colour and motif. In addition, glass beads, in combination with several other types of object, were integral to Middle Iron Age dress. Given that the first century BC is often seen as a turning point in terms of settlements and material culture, this supports the possibility of strong continental exchange during an earlier period for either glass beads or raw materials. However, by the Late Iron Age in the first century BC and early first century AD, their use had severely diminished.
Articles by Elizabeth Foulds
Book Chapters by Elizabeth Foulds
Book Reviews by Elizabeth Foulds
Reports by Elizabeth Foulds
Through an analysis of glass beads from four key study regions in Britain, the book aims not only to address regional differences in appearance and chronology, but also to explore the role that this object played within the networks and relationships that constructed Iron Age society. It seeks to understand how they were used during their lives and how they came to be deposited within the archaeological record, in order to establish the social processes that glass beads were bound within.
The results indicate that glass beads were a strongly regionalised artefact, potentially reflecting differing local preferences for colour and motif. In addition, glass beads, in combination with several other types of object, were integral to Middle Iron Age dress. Given that the first century BC is often seen as a turning point in terms of settlements and material culture, this supports the possibility of strong continental exchange during an earlier period for either glass beads or raw materials. However, by the Late Iron Age in the first century BC and early first century AD, their use had severely diminished.
Through an analysis of glass beads from four key study regions in Britain, this thesis aims not only to address regional differences in appearance and chronology, but also to explore the role that this object played within the networks and relationships that constructed Iron Age society. It seeks to understand how they were used during their lives and how they came to be deposited within the archaeological record, in order to establish the social processes that glass beads were bound within.
The results indicate that glass beads were a strongly regionalised artefact, potentially reflecting differing local preferences for colour and motif. In addition, glass beads, in combination with several other types of object, were integral to Middle Iron Age dress. Given that the first century BC is often seen as a turning point in terms of settlements and material culture, this supports the possibility of strong continental exchange during an earlier period for either glass beads or raw materials. However, by the Late Iron Age in the first century BC and early first century AD, their use had severely diminished.
In the past, glass was assumed to have been an intrinsic exotic medium through which British Iron Age peoples expressed their status and wealth. However, burial evidence is geographically and chronologically limited. In addition, glass beads are rarely found in caches, unlike metalwork. Thus, it becomes difficult to compare such artefacts to understand the Iron Age view of materials and their relationship to status. There is very little evidence to support the idea that glass was intrinsically a high- or low-status material. Instead, glass beads are found at a range of settlements and in a small number of localised burials, which has implication for understanding Iron Age daily practice.
This paper aims on the one hand to increase the awareness of the importance of this object for understanding the history of glass in Britain, and on the other to demonstrate that beads are much more than types and dates, as they also provide valuable insight into the daily life in Iron Age Britain. Therefore, it will present a summary of the major conclusions on glass beads, ranging from typology and chronology to regional use and bodily adornment.
In the past, glass was assumed to have been an intrinsic exotic medium through which British Iron Age peoples expressed their status and wealth. However, burial evidence is geographically and chronologically limited. In addition, glass beads are rarely found in caches, unlike metalwork. Thus, it becomes difficult to compare such artefacts to understand the Iron Age view of materials and their relationship to status. There is very little evidence to support the idea that glass was intrinsically a high- or low-status material. Instead, glass beads are found at a range of settlements and in a small number of localised burials, which has implication for understanding Iron Age daily practice.
This paper aims on the one hand to increase the awareness of the importance of this object for understanding the history of glass in Britain, and on the other to demonstrate that beads are much more than types and dates, as they also provide valuable insight into the daily life in Iron Age Britain. Therefore, it takes a social approach to understanding a variety of aspects of glass beads. Through a regional comparison of different characteristics, such as use, colour, and motif, it becomes clear that Iron Age beads were highly regionalised and perhaps even reflect local aesthetics. "
This paper will explore objects of bodily adornment and their deposition in Iron Age Britain. It aims to place glass beads into context with other adornment objects. For comparative purposes, this paper will utilise two of the study regions set out in the methodology of the project: northeast Scotland and southwest England, two areas of extreme bead concentration. While previous studies have suggested that these areas reflect manufacture locations, the evidence for this is extremely limited. Instead, this paper will consider these areas as regions where glass beads may have been manufactured but emphasises that these were areas where glass beads were utilised. By placing glass beads into the context of other objects of adornment we will begin to integrate glass beads into the wider understanding of identity in the Iron Age.
This paper will explore objects of bodily adornment and their deposition in Iron Age Britain. It aims to place glass beads into context with other adornment objects. For comparative purposes, this paper will utilise two of the study regions set out in the methodology of the project: northeast Scotland and southwest England, two areas of extreme bead concentration. While previous studies have suggested that these areas reflect manufacture locations, the evidence for this is extremely limited. Instead, this paper will consider these areas as regions where glass beads may have been manufactured but emphasises that these were areas where glass beads were utilised. By placing glass beads into the context of other objects of adornment we will begin to integrate glass beads into the wider understanding of identity in the Iron Age.