Last autumn Ann Clark took away for analysis 200 stones from our recently dug site in the upper areas of Tameside. Carbon dating had already been carried out on samples from this site, putting it at late mesolithic/early neolithic.
These stones have now been returned with the news that 40 of them provide evidence of occupation around the neolithic period.
This is very exciting, of course, because it makes our site the only known, permanently occupied, neolithic site in the north west.
A full report is being drawn up and is presently being illustrated.
Below, an anvil stone – obviously aware of its sudden rise to the surface and to fame – poses for the camera. The second picture shows more clearly the pecking that provides evidence of working by an early Tamesider about 5000 years ago.
