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 Barrow Hills Field 16, Radley

Site number 978

Burial codes 4005 4009 4022 4023 4025 4028 4030 4031 4041 4048 4051 4065 4075 4082 4084 4093 4098 4104 4109 4111 4121 4122 4123 4125 4128 4143 4151 4152 4153 4161 4181 3005 3009 3022 3023 3025 3028 3030 3035 3041 3045 3048 3051 3065 3075 3082 3084 3092 3098 3104 3111 3124 3125 3128 3143 4151 3152 3153 3161 3181

2500bc-14/1300bc A round barrow with a central primary cremation E in a shallow oval pit oriented SE/NW 0.9m x 0.45m. The cremation was in a small portion of the deeper part of the pit, and beneath it were considerable quantities of charcoal. Associated were a flat bronze knife with two rivets and a rounded butt, a bronze awl, three amber beads (two fusiform, one oblate), 10 shale beads (6 fusiform, 4 oblate), and a fragment of pale greenish blue segmented faience bead. None showed traces of fire.

About 4m WNW of the central pit was a small pit A set into the old land surface containing a food vessel in pieces on its side surrounded by thick charcoal, and with evidence of having been subjected to great heat. About 15 metres further to the WNW was a cremation burial C of burnt bone from an adult, below which was thick ash and charcoal, all in a pit 0.75m x 0.3m pointed at one end. About 8m SW of the central burial was a small pit D containing a miniature overhanging rim cinerary urn, lying on its side in a charcoal layer. The urn had been exposed to burning, and there was no trace of bone or ashes.

The other deposits were in the southern half of the barrow. F was a pocket in the topsoil containing an unaccompanied cremation burial. G was a depression in the gravel containing a few bones, two fragments of a baby's tooth, some daub and many burnt stones. H contained a cremation burial in situ, 5 sherds and a flint scraper. J was a scattered group of burnt bones and numerous unburnt sherds of Deverel type. K was a circular pit containing a cremation and a few sherds. L was a scatter of sherds, cremated bones, broken animal bones and flint flakes. One sherd belonged to the same vase as sherds in K. M was the remains of a cremation burial, burnt bone only. N was a flint flake, a large sherd, and two fragments of burnt bone scattered east of M. P was scattered charcoal, burnt bones, and a sherd found within the circle in the SW sector.

The excavator considered that the site was of two distinct periods according to the pottery evidence. The central burial may be Early to Middle Bronze Age and covered by a small mound, the rest of the area remaining open to the Late Bronze Age when deposit J and some others were set down..

14/1300bc-8/700bc Overlap site with 2500-14/1300.

Remains/Period Y4 Y3

County Berkshire

Region SE

National grid square SU

X coordinate 517

Y coordinate 984

Bibliographic source Leeds 1938b, Grinsell 1939b

Query

Site name	Barrow Hills Field 16, Radley
Site number	978
Burial codes	4005 4009 4022 4023 4025 4028 4030 4031 4041 4048 4051 4065 4075 4082 4084 4093 4098 4104 4109 4111 4121 4122 4123 4125 4128 4143 4151 4152 4153 4161 4181 3005 3009 3022 3023 3025 3028 3030 3035 3041 3045 3048 3051 3065 3075 3082 3084 3092 3098 3104 3111 3124 3125 3128 3143 4151 3152 3153 3161 3181
2500bc-14/1300bc	A round barrow with a central primary cremation E in a shallow oval pit oriented SE/NW 0.9m x 0.45m. The cremation was in a small portion of the deeper part of the pit, and beneath it were considerable quantities of charcoal. Associated were a flat bronze knife with two rivets and a rounded butt, a bronze awl, three amber beads (two fusiform, one oblate), 10 shale beads (6 fusiform, 4 oblate), and a fragment of pale greenish blue segmented faience bead. None showed traces of fire. About 4m WNW of the central pit was a small pit A set into the old land surface containing a food vessel in pieces on its side surrounded by thick charcoal, and with evidence of having been subjected to great heat. About 15 metres further to the WNW was a cremation burial C of burnt bone from an adult, below which was thick ash and charcoal, all in a pit 0.75m x 0.3m pointed at one end. About 8m SW of the central burial was a small pit D containing a miniature overhanging rim cinerary urn, lying on its side in a charcoal layer. The urn had been exposed to burning, and there was no trace of bone or ashes. The other deposits were in the southern half of the barrow. F was a pocket in the topsoil containing an unaccompanied cremation burial. G was a depression in the gravel containing a few bones, two fragments of a baby's tooth, some daub and many burnt stones. H contained a cremation burial in situ, 5 sherds and a flint scraper. J was a scattered group of burnt bones and numerous unburnt sherds of Deverel type. K was a circular pit containing a cremation and a few sherds. L was a scatter of sherds, cremated bones, broken animal bones and flint flakes. One sherd belonged to the same vase as sherds in K. M was the remains of a cremation burial, burnt bone only. N was a flint flake, a large sherd, and two fragments of burnt bone scattered east of M. P was scattered charcoal, burnt bones, and a sherd found within the circle in the SW sector. The excavator considered that the site was of two distinct periods according to the pottery evidence. The central burial may be Early to Middle Bronze Age and covered by a small mound, the rest of the area remaining open to the Late Bronze Age when deposit J and some others were set down..
14/1300bc-8/700bc	Overlap site with 2500-14/1300.
Remains/Period	Y4 Y3
County	Berkshire
Region	SE
National grid square	SU
X coordinate	517
Y coordinate	984
Bibliographic source	Leeds 1938b, Grinsell 1939b