Spitalfields Project

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Summary

The Spitalfields Market excavations in London were one of the biggest and most exciting archaeological projects in Britain, uncovering a Roman cemetery, a medieval priory and its churchyard (including the remains of nearly 11,000 people buried there), and the remains of hundreds of houses dating to the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The excavations, running from 1991 to 2002 also recovered the largest group of artefacts ever found in London. The excavations consisted of a number of different sites combined into one large project; 280 Bishopsgate and the Spitalfields Ramp (Site code: SRP98), 250 Bishopsgate (Site Code: STE95), The Spitalfields Residential development (Site code: SQU94) and 288 Bishopsgate (Site code: BGE98). The sites were excavated by Museum of London Archaeological Service (MoLAS, now Museum of London Archaeology) in advance of redevelopment by the Spitalfields Development Group, Corporation of London, London International Finance Futures and Options Exchange, ABN Amro Bank, St George PLC and Mercury Asset Management Ltd.

This project makes available the recorded faunal data from these excavations. The data ranges in date from the Roman period to the 19th century. It includes the detailed records of 9341 individual fragments of animal bone. The majority of the faunal information is recorded in the ‘Spitalfields faunal main information datasheet with contextual data’ table. This can be linked to more detailed tables where metrical, modifications (such as butchery marks) and tooth wear information is recorded. All these faunal tables can be linked using the ‘site-bone’ field. This consists of a combination of the site code and individual bone number. This field is utilised because the Spitalfields faunal assemblage consists of a number of different excavations.

The recording and analysis of the faunal remains was conducted by Kevin Rielly. The project was lead by Chris Thomas.

Cite this Record

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Collaborator(s): Museum of London Archaeology

There are 12 Resources within this Project

Documents

1. Summary of the Spitalfields project (2011)

   score:11.019
   

   DOCUMENT Uploaded by: James Morris

   [tDAR id: 5887] Summary text giving a brief introduction and overview of the Spitalfields project.

Datasets

1. Spitalfields faunal main information datasheet with contextual data (2011)

   score:11.019
   

   DATASET James Morris.

   [tDAR id: 5874] This table contains the main faunal information such as species and element, the contextual and dating information and an indication if toothwear, modification and metrical information are present.

2. Spitalfields faunal measurement data sheet

   score:11.019
   

   DATASET James Morris.

   [tDAR id: 5876] This datasheet holds additional data on the measurements taken. Measurement taken, using a number code. The number corresponds with that used in Von Den Driesh 1976. When Von Den Driesh has not used a number (as in long bones) the numbers correspond to the order of Von Den Drieshs measurements (i.e. for the humerus Gl=1, BP=4 etc)

3. Spitalfields faunal modification datasheet (2011)

   score:11.019
   

   DATASET James Morris.

   [tDAR id: 5875] This data is in addition to the main faunal datasheet and contains information on bone modifications such as butchery, working, burning and gnawing.

4. Spitalfields faunal tooth wear data sheet (2011)

   score:11.019
   

   DATASET James Morris.

   [tDAR id: 5877] This datasheet contains the tooth wear information. The wear of an individual tooth measured using the Grant 1982 method. Number rather than letter codes are used. Therefore wear stage a=6, g=12 and p=20 etc.

5. Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Measurements Individual Bones Period 13

   score:11.019
   

   DATASET Uploaded by: Shelby Manney

   [tDAR id: 5806] Contains the SpitalFields Project Faunal Database; measurements individual bones period 13.

6. Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Period 13 Species by Land Use

   score:11.019
   

   DATASET Uploaded by: Shelby Manney

   [tDAR id: 5813] Spitalfields Project Database- Faunal for Period 13 Species by Land Use.

7. Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Period 13 Species Elements

   score:11.019
   

   DATASET Uploaded by: Shelby Manney

   [tDAR id: 5814] Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Period 13 Species Elements

8. Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Summary Species Per Periods

   score:11.019
   

   DATASET Uploaded by: Shelby Manney

   [tDAR id: 5815] Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Summary Species Per Periods

9. Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Tooth Wear Individual Mandibles Period 13

   score:11.019
   

   DATASET Uploaded by: Shelby Manney

   [tDAR id: 5816] Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Tooth Wear Individual Mandibles Period 13

10. Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Total Number of Bones Per Period

    score:11.019
    

    DATASET Uploaded by: Shelby Manney

    [tDAR id: 5819] Spitalfields Project Faunal Database - Total Number of Bones Per Period

Coding Sheets

1. Spitalfields Project Periods Coding Sheet

   score:11.019
   

   CODING SHEET Uploaded by: Shelby Manney

   [tDAR id: 5817] Spitalfields Project Periods Coding Sheet