Attitudes to Disposal of the Dead - Gazetteer Query Form

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Site name Casterley Camp, Upavon
Site number 1208
Burial codes 2003 2009 2021 2023 2026 2028 2030 2035 2042 2046 2051 2053 2065 2075 2084 2092 2094 2096 2101 2104 2107 2108 2111 2121 2122 2123 2125 2128 2141 2153 2181
8/700bc-100bc A complex settlement site comprising a series of inter-locked enclosures and a radiating ditch system. The excavators believed the pits in enclosure A predated the main occupation on pottery evidence, sherds found in them being coarser and hand-made Iron Age A, compared with the bead-rim bowls found elsewhere on the site.

Pit 2 in enclosure A was oval, c5.1m x 4.5m x 1.8m deep, with a central post hole, and with a smaller annexe probably dug after the main pit was full: this annexe contained on its clean chalk floor 4 human skeletons in a group burial covered by a pile of 14 red deer antlers c0.3m above them. The antlers appeared to have been thrown in loosely. Two pairs had part of the skulls attached, all were varied in size, and most were shed. The bodies were arranged more or less in a circle close to the sides of the pit, but did not appear to be carefully deposited.

The human remains were a skeleton of a child c6 lying on the left side with legs crouched and hands to face. It was at the junction of the two pits, facing the smaller one, and associated with it under the foot were fragments of iron, possibly part of a ring or brooch. The second skeleton was of an adult male lying on the left side, legs unequally crouched, and hands in front of the face. It was on the right side of the pit, facing the centre. Under the sternum was the spiral spring of an iron brooch of the Early Iron Age with fragments of hand-made pottery, and a considerable part of a large cooking pot was found crushed among its bones. The third skeleton was of an adult male, probably aged, lying partly on the back with the legs slightly flexed to one side and backbone twisted. It was close to the back wall, and behind it was found a loom weight and spindle whorl. The fourth skeleton was of an adult male, probably of considerable age, lying on the right side, with the legs crouched and hands to face, close to the wall, opposite the second body.

The pit also contained sherds of Iron Age A close up against the wall at the back of the annexe. A fine newly made flint axe was found on a ledge in the wall of the large pit. This latter pit was filled from top to bottom with tough clay containing both natural and worked flints, and a little charcoal and decayed wood. There was a posthole at the bottom.
Remains/Period Y2
County Wiltshire
Region S
National grid square SU
X coordinate 115
Y coordinate 535
Bibliographic source Cunnington B H and Cunnington M E 1913, Cunnington M E 1934, Whimster 1981


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Last updated: Tues Aug 10 2004