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Site name Winterbourne Monkton 17a, Millbarrow
Site number 1670
Burial codes 5002 5005 5007 5021 5023 5025 5028 5030 5032 5043 5048 5051 5065 5075 5075 5084 5092 5098 5104 5108 5109 5110 5111 5128 5141 5151 5152 5153 5155 5181 5200
3500bc - 2500bc A chambered tomb oriented E, with inner and outer flanking ditches and a terminal chamber at the eastern end, a facade and flanking kerbs. There appeared to have been a previous occupation of the site from post holes and pits predating the mound, with three spreads of human bone fragments in Pit 401, and much fragmentary human bone in Pit 548, both producing radiocarbon dates. The latter pit had been disturbed, however. The remains were of three adults, and a sub-adult.

The much damaged chamber area appeared to have contained collective human burials, whose remains became incorporated in the disturbed fills of some features (414, 441 and 471) during the process of the destruction of the monument. The chamber belonged to the inner ditch phase, it is presumed. The chamber remains included the inhumations of 4 adults, 4 children and a neonate. There were also 20 (accidentally?) cremated bone fragments belonging to both adult(s) and children. One adult skull fragment showed evidence of a double trephination. In all there was evidence for 14 individuals of whom 6 were children, excluding the cremated bone and including pre-barrow remains.

Pottery was of Ebbsfleet and Mortlake styles.

RC: human bone in Pit 548 OxA-3172 3050 +/-110, human bone in Pit 401 OxA-3171 2800 +/-120 [both presumed pre-monument], human bone north side of chamber area OxA-3169 2670 +/- 90, ditto OxA-3198 2530 +/-80
Remains/Period Y5
County Wiltshire
Region S
National grid square SU
X coordinate 89
Y coordinate 723
Bibliographic source Whittle 1994


Query

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Last updated: Tues Aug 10 2004