Charred Plant Remains from Conderton Camp, Iron Age Hillfort, Worcestershire

Excavation of the hill fort was carried out in 1958-59 directed by Nicholas Thomas and occupation dated to 400-100 BC was found. A comprehensive range of small soil samples was taken and some of these contained a surprisingly rich concentration of plant remains although the numbers of items were not high. Evidence of glume wheat with a little barley was found in samples from pits on the site, with emmer (Triticum dicoccum) present in the earlier phases, and both emmer and spelt (Triticum spelta) in the later phases, although the number of remains may not be representative. Chaff, mainly glumes, formed the highest proportion of the remains followed by weed seeds which were most varied in the later contexts. The samples were thought to represent the waste from the cleaning of the glume wheat by fine sieving before use, probably from domestic activity on the site. The burnt waste was dumped in pits as rubbish, probably from domestic activity on the site. The burnt waste was dumped in pits as rubbish, probably as a secondary use of the pits. Other samples from the site contained fewer remains of the same type as the pit samples and were thought to be part of the general scatter of domestic waste.