Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Cist containing crouched burial with Porosphaera beads; found 1880, Higham Marshes

Monument Types

• CIST (CIST, Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• CROUCHED INHUMATION (CROUCHED INHUMATION, Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• SITE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds

• BEAD (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

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As the result of denudation of a burial mound of marsh turf, the outline of a collapsed oblong cist of Kentish ragstone was visible on Higham Marshes. It was excavated in 1880 by Mr E.L.Arnold and found to contain a crouched skeleton (very crushed) accompanied by 79 beads which lay as if they had originally been around the neck. the beads were Porosphaera globularis (a fossil sponge common in the Upper Chalk and taking a globular form), ranging from 7 to 26 mm. in diameter and naturally perforated. The mound stood on a gravelly hillock which probably stood out of the water when all the surrounding district was swamp(1) (a) This discovery was probably made in the neighburhood of Hoo Junction [TQ 698736, but Mr A.L.F.Rivet, A.A.O., believes Barrow Hill, TQ77SW1 the most likely find - spot]. "In the absence of evidence, the ragstone cist with its crouched skeleton, cannot be dated with precision, but on general grounds the early B.A. may be suggested.... (2) Beads now in the Geology Dept., British Museum (Natural History) No E. 1082. (3) Authority 1 states that the burial mound stood on a gravelly hillock on Higham marshes. The only feature of this type on the marshes is Barrow Hill and this bears a distinct excavation crater on its highest point. Authority 2 gives no reason for suggesting Hoo Junction (1 mile to the SW) as the probable site unless it was merely a reference point, or because the other Bronze Age finds have been made there (See TQ77SW2) The present location of the beads (Authority 3) was not confirmed. Additional references (4-6). No remains of the cist burial seen during the 2005 survey, expected as the location for the monument is known to be imprecise (7)

<1> Letter accompanying beads (E.L.Arnold). (OS Card Reference). SKE46088.

<2> 'Rochester Naturalist' Vol. 6, 1932,pp.125 - 132 (H.S.Toms). (OS Card Reference). SKE49319.

<3> 'Rochester Naturalist' Vol 6, 1932,p. 132. (R.F.Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE49317.

<4> Oxon, Vol. X, 1945, p. 41 (K.P. Oakley) (OS Card Reference). SKE48441.

<5> F1 CFW 22-JAN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42703.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 77 SW 11 - January, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4292.

<7> Wessex Archaeology, 2005, North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey: Phase ll: Field Assessment Year Two Report (Unpublished document). SWX12323.

Sources and further reading