RESIDUALITY REVISITED

Summary: Residuality has long been recognized as a problem for those interpreting archaeological assemblages, in particular those from urban excavations. This paper explores residuality through the examination of quantified pottery assemblages from a number of British sites. the causes of variation in the level of residuality at particular sites are discussed and general conclusions are drawn about the importance of the different factors isolated.     

FROM THE END OF ROMAN BRITAIN TO THE'CELTIC WEST'

Summary. This paper suggests that the end of Roman Britain would have been an event noticeable, even to the peasant labouring in his fields, by a sudden collapse in the trading economy. It suggests that this was, perhaps, triggered by a 'tax revolt'amongst the élite. It then seeks to trace possible lines of continuity and transformations in various key features of Romano-British life in the fifth to seventh centuries. Many of the transformations are seen as resulting from the loss of traded goods by the élite with which to impress clients.