Project Consultant Christine Shaw
This long-term programme has been a major area of research both at the Ancient Farm, since 1972, and before that in the West Midlands. Some project notes from 1986 /85 have recently been found when clearing out Nexus House, the field centre for BAF for many years, following its closure in 2007. These notes include rates of planting for selected weed seeds. This stage of the Project was in conjunction with the Nature Conservancy Council, as it then was.
Our knowledge of past arable weed communities in crop fields is largely drawn from the study of carbonised seed recovered by excavation. With the exception of the grain storage pit, which is a quite specific feature that also encompasses debates concerning harvesting methods, other features which yield carbonised seed can almost be regarded as random depositories, the seed found being fortuitous (Provenance of Carbonised Seed).
Discussion of the origin of carbonised seed, whatever the context, requires there be some understanding and knowledge of the weed community where crops are grown. Subsequent transfer processes involved in, for example grain handling, form part of the discussion relating to the Provenance of Carbonised Seed (see link above). Those discussions incorporate arguments about the effect of cereal height, in relation to climbing weeds especially, and to harvesting methods. The study of the weed community therefore has to reflect these probable interactions.
It is most improbable that, for the majority of farming practices, the entire field weed population will be reflected in any secondary recovery after harvest, whereas growth of the cereal in the face of competition from field weeds will be reflected in yields (Potential Yields of Prehistoric Cereals).
In consequence, a major effort has been devoted to recording the arable weed flora occupying the crop fields at the Ancient Farm. This will not give the complete picture of the weed flora of 2500 years ago, since a number of weeds are known to have become extinct, with others virtually so.
Nonetheless, these studies give an important insight into the number and frequency of the types of plant likely to have been present. Interesting occurrences of ground hugging varieties like the fluellens (Kicksia elatine and K. spuria) have arisen. While arguably native, these do not occur in the archaeological record, which probably reflects the fact that they are unlikely to make the transition from the production area to the settlement area (the commonest source of archaeological data). Whereas the cereal will have had to compete with such weeds for sustenance, the weed height and habit, relative to the crop, is likely to be the determinant in any transfer process.
Accordingly, each year, a test area is set aside, at random, within the crop study plots and the weeds allowed to flourish. Just prior to crop harvesting, the arable weed community is recorded by an experienced field worker.
Recording has continued after Peter Reynolds death, following the same protocol as ever. The data is still in raw form and some thought is being given to how to make it more accessible and usable.
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Created 01 August 2001 - Updated 12 March 2008