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Investigations have already shown
that the natural slope down to the river from the
city centre was steeper in the prehistoric period
than it is today. The river levels themselves are
considerably higher now than then, and the River Ouse,
into which the River Foss flows, was tidal at this
time. Both the Rivers Foss and Ouse were also wider
than they are today and the course of the River Foss
may have changed. Old river courses, known as palaeochannels,
might be encountered in the riverside deposits.
The rising water table may
also have preserved some archaeological secrets. Waterlogged
deposits alongside the river will hold clues about
the ancient environment through the survival of bones,
insect remains and plant materials. For later periods
these deposits may also preserve organic artefacts
such as wood, textile and leather which rarely survive.
Understanding the natural
landscape and locating old river channels, the nature
of the early river as well as the natural ecology
and environment of the area, are the main aims for
this period.
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