The archaeology of Rombalds Moor, West Yorkshire, is
reviewed and discussed. Vegetational information is provided
by thirteen pollen diagrams (nine percentage diagrams and
four influx diagrams) for seven sites on the moor.
At the end of the Late-Devensian period Rombalds Moor
was aspecies-rich grassland. Following the Post-glacial warming of the climate-there was a succession of trees arriving in the area, but true woodland was not established until c.8800 years BP.
Dates are proposed for two early Mesolithic forest
burnings, and late Mesolithic disturbance has been noted,
particularly at the Alnus rise. The morphology of the Alnus
rise differs in diagrams from different parts of the moor.
Differences in diagrams from the same site, together with
radiocarbon dating evidence, points to the presence of one
or more hiatuses in the late Boreal/early Atlantic. At this
site there is evidence that Pinus persisted long after the
Alnus rise.
There was a small amount of clearance, but no agriculture,
in the Neolithic period. In the Bronze Age there was more
extensive clearance, some pastoralism, and a limited amount of cereal cultivation in the east of the moor. Pollen analysis of a buried soil provides evidence that a supposed 'Bronze Age' cairn represents a burial, but the radiocarbon date is Iron Age.
Major deforestation took place in the Iron Age when the
population moved from the higher land into the valleys and
there were significant increases in both pastoral and arable
farming.
Cultivation stopped and woodland regrew in some areas
towards the end of the Roman period. There is evidence that
removal of the woodland cover led to soil degeneration on the higher parts of the moor which prevented later regrowth of woodland.
In the late 13th and early 14th centuries remaining
woodland was cleared and agriculture increased, particularly
pastoralism. Recent changes involve the decline of heather as a result of overgrazing.