From prediction to prospection: finding prehistory on London's river

The aim of the following paper is to promote the study of urban tidal rivers as a major archaeological resource, which is fast diminishing through erosion. It focuses on the prehistoric archaeology of the intertidal zone of the River Thames and illustrates the wealth of data, which can be collected to aid the interpretation of the natural riverscape and the human impact upon it. The value of intertidal investigations within urban settings are discussed and illustrates that this is an important finite resource, which should not be permitted to erode without being examined and recorded. The conclusions of this paper are important for archaeological resources within similar urban contexts.