Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A mixed Romano-British cemetery of inhumation and cremation burials was found during the construction of a gas pipeline in 1984. In total four cremation burials and five inhumation burials were found. The cremation burials comprised urns, at least one of which in smooth grey ware, containing calcined bone fragments, as well as a globular amphora burial urn. Amongst the grave goods recovered were a small urn, dishes, flagons, plates, a small bottle vase, iron fragments possibly from a bucket as well as bronze nails in the ashes of one cremation urn. The pottery assemblage was typical of the late 1st and 2nd century.

Monument Types

• CEMETERY (Roman - 43 AD? (at some time) to 199 AD? (at some time))

Associated Finds

• AMPHORA (Roman - 43 AD? to 199 AD?)
• BUCKET? (Roman - 43 AD? to 199 AD?)
• BURIAL URN (Roman - 43 AD? to 199 AD?)
• CREMATION (Roman - 43 AD? to 199 AD?)
• DISH (Roman - 43 AD? to 199 AD?)
• FLAGON (Roman - 43 AD? to 199 AD?)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Roman - 43 AD? to 199 AD?)
• NAIL (Roman - 43 AD? to 199 AD?)
• PLATE (Roman - 43 AD? to 199 AD?)

Full description

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[TR 33426541 sited from plan] A group of Romano-British graves, 4 cremations and 5 inhumations were found during the construction of the Monkton Gas Pipeline in 1984. The burials were sunk through a layer of iron age occupation material. [See TR 36 NW 185].

Grave 4 contained fragments of two urns in smooth grey ware, together with calcined bone in a pit 35cm wide by 20cm deep. The carinated vessel contained only earth. Major portions of both pots were missing, so that the burials is presumed disturbed, rather than plough damaged.

Grave 5 consisted of a large urn containing the ashes, a small urn, dish and flagon. The group was contained in a flat bottomed pit, 45cm across by 27 cm deep. The calcined bone fragments suggested a child under 12 years. Two bronze nails were found in the ashes.

Grave 6 was contained within a globular amphora inserted a a tight fit into a shaped cavity cut into chalk, with the broken upper edge of the pot above chalk level. The calcined bone occupied only the lower 20cm of the amphora and were intermixed with many iron fragments. The bones seem to represent the remains of an adult and a very young child.

Grave 7, inhumation, 15 degrees north contained the remains of a female aged 17-25 years. Fragments of iron nails down sides of grave. The chalk fill contained human bone fragments unrelated to the burial, and a large rim sherd.

Grave 8, inhumation orientated north-south, representing the remains of an adult aged c25 years. Only the head of the grave survived, the rest being destroyed by the pipe trench, or by the cutting of Grave 11.

Grave 9, inhumation, orientated north-south, only the lower legs and skull of an adult, c25 years. Two iron fragments and a piece of wood were found within the skull. The fragments were just within a possible entry wound situated 2cm to the right of the bregmatic ossicle.There were nail fragments along the sides of the grave, and a flagon and a small pot were found just above the skull.

Grave 10, a large urn containing a cremation, a small urn, a dish and a flagon were found. A semi circle of small iron fragments was plotted beside the largest vessel, which may represent a bucket mount.

Grave 11, inhumation, orienteted north-south of adult female. Head of grave destroyed by pipe trench, only pelvis and legs remaining. Beside the feet were a plate and a small bottle vase.

Grave 11A consisted of skeletal meaterial found high in the fill of Grave 11, and not related to Grave 8. An adult. (1)

A Romano-British cemetery was discovered here when the Monkton- Ramsgate gas pipe line was laid. (2)

Geophysical survey undertaken in 1992 (3).

<1> Perkins, D. R. J., 1986, The Monkton Gas Pipeline: Phases III & IV 1983 - 84, Archaeol Cant 102 1985 44 53 54-57 60-63 66 illus (DKJ Perkins) (Article in serial). SKE11881.

<2> Trust for Thanet Archaeology, 1987, Isle of Thanet Archaeological Unit Sites and Monuments Archive, Isle of Thanet Archaeol Unit Sites and Mons Archive 1988 record No.187 (Collection). SKE11846.

<3> Clark, A. J. & Bartlett, A. D. H., 1992, Thanet, Kent: Proposed Improvements to A253 Report on Geophysical Survey (Unpublished document). SWX6777.

Sources and further reading