Attitudes to Disposal of the Dead - Gazetteer Query Form

Background to the Gazetteer | Table of Contents

Note that there may be a few slight discrepancies between counts given in the text and the returned results in the gazetteer. This is a result of corrections and amendments (not updates) made to the gazetteer since the research was published in BAR. This does not materially affect the picture presented but does add more detail.

Site name Wookey Hole, St Cuthbert Out

Site number 1301

Burial codes 1008 1009 1021 1023 1026 1028 1030 1035 1042 1047 1051 1065 1075 1084 1098 1103 1108 1110 1111 1121 1122 1126 1129 1143 1151 1181 1182

100bc-AD43 At least 2 skeletons and numerous fragmentary human bones may relate to Iron Age occupation of the cave. One male skeleton was associated with an iron bill-hook resembling some found at the Glastonbury Lake Village, a triangular iron knife, a latch-lifter also like ones found at Glastonbury, and a tanged dagger. It was found in a fissure in the cave floor, and was without the upper part of the skull. Close by were the remains of two tethered goats, a coarse black ware bowl and a coarse comb.

From the 'late Celtic level' in the cave came the left frontal bone of a young female c16-17 embedded in fire ash and possibly but not certainly accompanied by a silver earring. The bone exhibits the signs of a savage blow, but no other remains were found of this body.

In the upper eastern gallery fragmentary remains occurred which may have belonged to bodies placed there for interment.

The floor debris of the cave contained the largest quantity of human remains, embedded in the floor material and in the food-bone waste, numerous bones showing deliberate fractures or cuts. Certain well preserved skull fragments were embedded in the ash of fires, and appeared to have been deliberately smashed.

Remains/Period Y1

County Somerset

Region SW

National grid square ST

X coordinate 532

Y coordinate 479

Bibliographic source Balch 1911, 1913, 1914, Dobson 1931, Whimster 1981

Query

Site name	Wookey Hole, St Cuthbert Out
Site number	1301
Burial codes	1008 1009 1021 1023 1026 1028 1030 1035 1042 1047 1051 1065 1075 1084 1098 1103 1108 1110 1111 1121 1122 1126 1129 1143 1151 1181 1182
100bc-AD43	At least 2 skeletons and numerous fragmentary human bones may relate to Iron Age occupation of the cave. One male skeleton was associated with an iron bill-hook resembling some found at the Glastonbury Lake Village, a triangular iron knife, a latch-lifter also like ones found at Glastonbury, and a tanged dagger. It was found in a fissure in the cave floor, and was without the upper part of the skull. Close by were the remains of two tethered goats, a coarse black ware bowl and a coarse comb. From the 'late Celtic level' in the cave came the left frontal bone of a young female c16-17 embedded in fire ash and possibly but not certainly accompanied by a silver earring. The bone exhibits the signs of a savage blow, but no other remains were found of this body. In the upper eastern gallery fragmentary remains occurred which may have belonged to bodies placed there for interment. The floor debris of the cave contained the largest quantity of human remains, embedded in the floor material and in the food-bone waste, numerous bones showing deliberate fractures or cuts. Certain well preserved skull fragments were embedded in the ash of fires, and appeared to have been deliberately smashed.
Remains/Period	Y1
County	Somerset
Region	SW
National grid square	ST
X coordinate	532
Y coordinate	479
Bibliographic source	Balch 1911, 1913, 1914, Dobson 1931, Whimster 1981