Attitudes to Disposal of the Dead - Gazetteer Query Form

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Site name Poundbury
Site number 861
Burial codes 4001 4005 4022 4023 4026 4028 4030 4035 4042 4046 4051 4065 4072 4084 4092 4098 4104 4109 4128 4143 4153 4181 4200 1005 1009 1022 1023 1025 1028 1030 1035 1042 1045 1051 1065 1071 1072 1073 1074 1084 1092 1098 1103 1104 1109 1110 1111 1121 1123 1125 1128 1131 1143 1153 1181
2500bc-14/1300bc A discrete isolated burial on a Bronze Age settlement site, towards the eastern edge of Site C, comprising an irregular oval grave 0.3m x 0.18m x 0.35m deep containing the body of a neonate placed on its right side with legs drawn up, and head to the NE. There were no grave goods, or other associated finds in the fill. The grave was associated with two successive timber-built rectangular structures, being earlier than one and later than the other, both structures being of the Bronze Age.

RC: from charcoal HAR-993 2430 +/- 70, HAR-994 2080 +/- 90
100bc-AD43 Associated with the Later Iron Age and Romano-British settlement site were sixty-seven inhumations, mainly laid in a crouched position in shallow rectangular or oval graves. The first extensive use of the site as a formal burial ground occurred during the 1st Century AD. Included in this group were 28 adult sized graves, 29 smaller graves and 2 instances of loose bone generally found in the north and east of the excavated area. Although some of the burials could be directly dated by accompanying gravegoods, many were included on stratigraphical or morphological grounds alone. The form of burial consisted of a body placed in a crouched position usually on the right side, buried without coffin in a shallow rectangular or oval grave pit. Bodies were oriented in no particularly consistent pattern.

Of the adult skeletons, 12 were males, 11 females and 4 unsexed. Of the children, 22 were less than c1 year old, 5 were between c1-13, and 4 could not have their age discerned. The main groups are briefly described below.

On Sites E and F there were 5 graves with pottery vessels that could be dated to the middle of the 1st Century AD. Graves 1402 and 1409 contained copper alloy rings datable to 50 BC - AD50, and Grave 1403 contained a copper alloy brooch datable to 75-25 BC.

Another important group on Site E comprised 22 burials of neonates and babies up to c1 year old, and one adult male accompanied by a mid-1st century AD pottery vessel. The infants were set in a variety of positions, prone, extended, crouched etc. This was in the north west corner of the site E. Their distribution related to the occupation terrace of the Late Iron Age open settlement, including early Romano-British structures. The majority may date from the middle of the 1st Century AD.

On Site C was a group of adults and infants in approximately equal numbers. One adult burial produced a copper alloy ring c50 BC - AD 50.

Generally speaking grave goods occurred in almost half the adult burials but mainly in the E/F group described. Joints from sheep, pig and goat accompanied some adult burials. The ceramic and metallic goods suggest that most of the burials date from the mid 1st Century. Comparable burial sites are Litton Cheney (Pin's Knoll), Whitcombe and Maiden Castle (Sites 147, 865 and 1190).
Remains/Period Y4 Y1
County Dorset
Region S
National grid square SY
X coordinate 682
Y coordinate 911
Bibliographic source Green 1987, Farwell and Molleson 1993


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Last updated: Tues Aug 10 2004