Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

An Early Bronze Age barrow with a central crouched inhumation accompanied by a beaker.

Monument Types

• POST HOLE (Early Bronze Age - 2350 BC? to 1501 BC?)
• ROUND BARROW (Early Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1501 BC)

Associated Finds

• AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• ANIMAL REMAINS (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1001 BC)
• BEAKER (Early Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1501 BC)
• CORE (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1001 BC)
• FLAKE (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1001 BC)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Early Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1501 BC)
• MARINE MOLLUSCA REMAINS (Early Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1501 BC)
• MUSSEL SHELL (Early Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1501 BC)
• OYSTER SHELL (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1001 BC)
• SCRAPER (TOOL) (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1001 BC)
• SHERD (Early Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 1501 BC)

Full description

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First identified as a single ditched ring ditch located from air photographs. (1)

In 2004 the Trust for Thanet Archaeology carried out a watching brief. A ring ditch and a central crouched inhumation burial were found. Worked flints, animal bones and oyster shells were found in the ditch fill. A polished Neolithic flint axe was also found in the ditch. This object may have been intentionally placed in the base of the ditch, having been discovered in the Early Bronze Age, possibly even during the digging of the barrow ditch. Other worked flint from the ditch was of Early or Middle Bronze Age date. The central grave was rectangular in plan, orientated east-north-east/west-south-west. A small ledge had been cut into the western corner of the grave. The grave backfill contained two finds, a flint flake and a sherd of Beaker pottery, as well as mussel, whelk and oyster shells. It is thought that there was some form of grave structure of organic material, possibly a hollowed out tree trunk or a wattle-built construction. The crouched inhumation was of a woman probably over the age of 40 and accompanied by a well preserved Long Necked Beaker which had been placed at her feet. The body was on its left side with the head at the northern end of the grave. The beaker had been damaged prior to deposition. A post hole was found on the edge of the ring ditch. The ring ditch was probably c.14m across. (2)

<1> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, Thanet SMR, cropmark plot. (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6443.

<2> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 2005, 'Beauforts', North Foreland Avenue, Broadstairs, Kent: Archaeological Report (Unpublished document). SKE24336.

Sources and further reading