Iron Age Wetland Deposition

Description

The practice of wetland deposition in prehistoric periods is vital for understanding socio-cultural traditions, localised behaviours, and beliefs. Terrestrial deposition has dominated much of the deposition theory, with the importance of wetland deposition recognised only episodically. This study aims to demonstrate wetland deposition’s significance and dynamic functions during the British Iron Age, comparing case studies in Wales and Scotland. Through this, it is shown that deposition practices in these regions reaffirmed social and cultural identity, tradition, and collective memory through establishing and evolving mnemonics, while simultaneously performing in a functional and traditional capacity. While wetlands have historically been considered environments denoting separation and isolation, the archaeological evidence is contradictory. Wetlands and wetland environments are, instead, centres of socio-cultural practice and sustainability, especially during civil unrest and economic instability.