Attitudes to Disposal of the Dead - Gazetteer Query Form

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Site name Lanhill, Chippenham 1, Wil 1
Site number 86
Burial codes 5005 5009 5021 5023 5025 5028 5030 5032 5036 5042 5047 5051 5053 5065 5075 5084 5093 5094 5098 5103 5105 5106 5107 5108 5110 5111 5125 5129 5143 5152 5155 5159 5181
3500bc - 2500bc Long barrow oriented E with false entrance. The entrance contained a few scattered human and animal bones (Thurnam 1857). These included partial remains of two persons c20 and c50, possibly female. The 1909 excavations found a new south chamber containing parts of 11-12 skeletons, scattered, with a few bones articulated, on the floor with two small flint flakes and a burnt flint.

In 1938, a new north west port hole chamber was excavated with 9 individual inhumations comprising 5 males aged c20-50, 2 females aged c30-40, and a child of c12. The bones were articulated and disarticulated. The chamber was roughly paved with small slabs and a layer of reddish clay. There were seven skulls, several with jaw bones belonging to other crania. Several long bones were placed side by side. There was one crouched articulated skeleton near the portal, legs flexed, in association with a flint flake: the body was buried but the head was uncovered.

One piece of human skeletal material was found around the forecourt in 1963. Evidence suggests successive interments. Animal bones found included ox, sheep, pig and hare. The pottery found was of Hembury, Mortlake and Fengate types.
Remains/Period Y5
County Wiltshire
Region S
National grid square ST
X coordinate 877
Y coordinate 747
Bibliographic source Thurnam 1857a, Cunnington M E 1909a, Cave 1938, Keiller and Piggott 1938, King 1966


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Last updated: Tues Aug 10 2004