event · evt_bi_must_farm_settlement_fire
Occupation and destruction by fire of the Must Farm pile settlement
A short-lived pile settlement was occupied over a channel and then burned, collapsing into the water and preserving exceptionally complete households.
What is the evidence?
observation
A short-lived pile settlement was occupied over a channel and then burned, collapsing into the water and preserving exceptionally complete households.observed evidence
A short-lived pile settlement was occupied over a channel and then burned, collapsing into the water and preserving exceptionally complete households.The fire created an extraordinary archaeological snapshot. Whether it was accidental or deliberate is unresolved, and the site's richness is partly a preservation effect rather than a direct measure of regional wealth.
Inspect the sources →Review and provenance
Specialist reviewer: not recorded. Review date: not recorded.
Dataset workflow: proposed. This is separate from specialist review.
Confidence describes the stated assessment; it does not certify expert approval. How review works.
Chronology
Dating intervals may describe uncertainty or phases; their width alone does not establish event duration.
900 BCE–800 BCE
Precision: narrow ninth century range
Chronology model: regionally resolved positive bce
very highPositive BCE integers are used; the larger value is earlier. The range preserves archaeological and calibration uncertainty. The fire created an extraordinary archaeological snapshot. Whether it was accidental or deliberate is unresolved, and the site's richness is partly a preservation effect rather than a direct measure of regional wealth.
- supports · dates
The Must Farm pile-dwelling settlement — Mark Knight, Rachel Ballantyne, Iona Robinson Zeki, David Gibson (2019)Publishes the exceptional Must Farm pile settlement, its earlier channel structures and the Flag Fen Basin palaeolandscape.
Locator: Abstract; palaeolandscape; earlier channel activity; discussion; conclusions; Figure 2
Interpretation and caveats
The fire created an extraordinary archaeological snapshot. Whether it was accidental or deliberate is unresolved, and the site's richness is partly a preservation effect rather than a direct measure of regional wealth.
Event context
Classification
Event type: wetland settlement and catastrophic fire
Evidence layer: archaeological
Timeline role: regional core
People and places
Locations: Must Farm, Southern and eastern England archaeological search region
Affected entities: Must Farm, Southern and eastern England archaeological search region
Why it matters to the timeline
This regional-core event is a major settlement and wetland-preservation record near the end of the interval.
Alternative interpretations
- The fire may have been accidental, deliberate attack, deliberate closure or another event; the available evidence does not securely choose one. (low confidence)
Research notes
- Publishes the exceptional Must Farm pile settlement, its earlier channel structures and the Flag Fen Basin palaeolandscape. Role: provides evidence and date. Locator: Abstract; palaeolandscape; earlier channel activity; discussion; conclusions; Figure 2.
Evidence and sources
- supports · provides evidence and date
The Must Farm pile-dwelling settlement — Mark Knight, Rachel Ballantyne, Iona Robinson Zeki, David Gibson (2019)Publishes the exceptional Must Farm pile settlement, its earlier channel structures and the Flag Fen Basin palaeolandscape.
Locator: Abstract; palaeolandscape; earlier channel activity; discussion; conclusions; Figure 2
Referenced records
- Southern and eastern England archaeological search region · entity
- Must Farm · entity