Attitudes to Disposal of the Dead - Gazetteer Query Form

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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 Dorchester-on-Thames, Site 2

Site number 871

Burial codes 4005 4009 4021 4023 4025 4028 4030 4034 4041 4047 4051 4065 4075 4084 4093 4098 4103 4105 4107 4108 4110 4122 4128 4143 4153 4181

2500bc-14/1300bc A pennanular ditch of c7m internal diameter, entrance to west, on the central axis of the cursus within Dorchester Site 1 (Site 870). The primary ditch fill was of gravel, then brown earth. From the top of the primary fill came an adult red deer antler fragment, and from the secondary fill 2 flint flakes.

28 cremations were then deposited in shallow pits 20-40cm in diameter and up to 60cm deep. Some of these were in the brown earth above the gravel, while others had been cut into the gravel or the upper ditch fill. Three of these cremations contained burned artefacts: F86 and F99 each contained a burnt bone pin, and F116 a heat cracked flint knife or sickle blade. Of the 25 deposits examined, 10 probably contained more than one individual, 3 had 3 or more of which 1 had at least 5 adults represented. All in all, there appear to have been at least 26 adults (2 male, 1 female), up to 6 adolescents, and 3 children. Only three of the adults could be identified as ageing. 5 of the adults had wormian bones.

RC: from the primary ditch fill BM-4225R 2280 +/-50

[Order suggested by Whittle et al 1992: Dorchester Site VIII, 1, III, XI, II, I, IV, V, VI, 2, 3, XIV, XII, XIII, 4, VII, IX].

Remains/Period Y4

County Oxfordshire

Region SE

National grid square SU

X coordinate 579

Y coordinate 950

Bibliographic source Chambers 1982, Whittle, Atkinson, Chambers and Thomas 1992

Query

Site name	Dorchester-on-Thames, Site 2
Site number	871
Burial codes	4005 4009 4021 4023 4025 4028 4030 4034 4041 4047 4051 4065 4075 4084 4093 4098 4103 4105 4107 4108 4110 4122 4128 4143 4153 4181
2500bc-14/1300bc	A pennanular ditch of c7m internal diameter, entrance to west, on the central axis of the cursus within Dorchester Site 1 (Site 870). The primary ditch fill was of gravel, then brown earth. From the top of the primary fill came an adult red deer antler fragment, and from the secondary fill 2 flint flakes. 28 cremations were then deposited in shallow pits 20-40cm in diameter and up to 60cm deep. Some of these were in the brown earth above the gravel, while others had been cut into the gravel or the upper ditch fill. Three of these cremations contained burned artefacts: F86 and F99 each contained a burnt bone pin, and F116 a heat cracked flint knife or sickle blade. Of the 25 deposits examined, 10 probably contained more than one individual, 3 had 3 or more of which 1 had at least 5 adults represented. All in all, there appear to have been at least 26 adults (2 male, 1 female), up to 6 adolescents, and 3 children. Only three of the adults could be identified as ageing. 5 of the adults had wormian bones. RC: from the primary ditch fill BM-4225R 2280 +/-50 [Order suggested by Whittle et al 1992: Dorchester Site VIII, 1, III, XI, II, I, IV, V, VI, 2, 3, XIV, XII, XIII, 4, VII, IX].
Remains/Period	Y4
County	Oxfordshire
Region	SE
National grid square	SU
X coordinate	579
Y coordinate	950
Bibliographic source	Chambers 1982, Whittle, Atkinson, Chambers and Thomas 1992