Gary Nobles

Oxford Archaeology · Geomatics

A currently unfunded project to develop a 3D GIS orientated around archaeological volumetric information and analytical investigation.

Pilot project investigating the use of Virtual Reality and Web GL for zooarchaeological reference collections: the sheep/goat problem.

In the second half of the past century, and the 1970-1990's in particular, excavations were conducted at a series of Late Neolithic settlements belonging to the Single Grave Culture (SGC) (c. 2900-2500 cal BC) in the province of Noord-Holland (Kop van Noord-Holland, De Gouw). These excavations have demonstrated the exceptional quality of the sites, especially thanks to the good preservation of organic materials. In significant contrast to the generally poor and heavily biased archaeological record of the SGC elsewhere in the Netherlands, the rich body of excavation data potentially permits the development of models about settlement variability, the use and role of material culture, as well as landscape use. So far, the excavation data from the various sites have never been analysed integrally. Hence, any 'models' of cultural dynamics in the SGC are based on very incomplete data. This project aims to unlock and integrate cultural/ecological information and research data in order to provide a sound basis for cultural modelling and development of heritage management strategies. We will thereby obtain a better understanding of site variability in relation to landscape use, subsistence strategies and the material world of the inhabitants. It provides an opportunity to study a micro-region within the wider SGC culture, so far largely known from its burial context. Its place in relation to the communities in the central and eastern parts of the Netherlands can be assessed and possible long-distance contacts with related Corded Ware groups elsewhere can be studied, addressing the debate on the apparent uniformity of the Corded Ware complex.