Rabu, 25 April 2012

Seeing through the ages: X-Ray scanner sheds light on 'most important Bronze Age find' of past century

Seeing through the ages: X-Ray scanner sheds light on 'most important Bronze Age find' of past century

  • 'Most important archaeological find' in 100 years
  • Unique glimpse into personal possessions of Britons 4,000 years ago
  • Burial mound shows Bronze Age people cremated their dead

By Rob Waugh

PUBLISHED: 05:40 EST, 25 April 2012 | UPDATED: 05:42 EST, 25 April 2012

Four thousand years ago, the inhabitants of Dartmoor traded beads, were skilled weavers - and cremated their dead before building burial mounds.

Specialist scanning equipment at a hospital's spinal unit has offered a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into the personal possessions of a Briton 4,000 years ago.

A bag unearthed in a Dartmoor burial site in Devon could prove to be one of the most important archaeological finds of the last 100 years.

Radiographer Mile Woodford at Salisbury District Hospital prepares to x-ray an early Bronze Age bag

Radiographer Mile Woodford at Salisbury District Hospital prepares to x-ray an early Bronze Age bag excavated from a Dartmoor burial site in Devon which could prove to be one of the most important archaeological finds of the last 100 years

Cremated human bones were among the items found in the burial chest, known as a cist, during the dig on Whitehorse Hill on Dartmoor, Devon

Cremated human bones were among the items found in the burial chest, known as a cist, during the dig on Whitehorse Hill on Dartmoor, Devon

SECRETS OF THE BURIAL MOUND - WHY THE DARTMOOR MOUND IS MOST SIGNIFICANT FIND OF 100 YEARS

Cists are common in the south-west of England and elsewhere, with 200 known on Dartmoor alone.

But they are rarely found with their original contents.

Experts said the one discovered on Whitehorse Hill may have been better preserved because it is the only known example set within a peat mound.

The cist was first discovered more than ten years ago when what appeared to be its end stone fell out of the peat mound which had been concealing it.

After several attempts to protect the cist - a scheduled monument - the decision was taken by DNPA and English Heritage to excavate it in order to recover any surviving archaeological and environmental information before it is destroyed.

The excavation, which took place in August, was the first excavation of a Dartmoor cist for nearly 100 years and involved expe rts from Cornwall Council's historic environment projects team, with assistance from English Heritage and specialists from the University of Plymouth.

The excavation, co-ordinated by Dartmoor National Park Authority, discovered the collection of early Bronze Age remains in a burial cist - a stone chest containing the ashes and belongings of a dead person - on Whitehorse Hill last year.

Now, under the expert eyes of Wiltshire Council's conservation service the items are being X-rayed to see what secrets they may be hiding.

Senior conservator Helen Williams took the objects to the spinal unit at Salisbury District Hospital, in Wiltshire.

A preliminary X-ray revealed the contents of a woven bag found on the site, which will now also be examined.

Ms Williams said: ‘The level of preservation of the objects within the cist burial is excellent with a number of different materials present.

‘We have a real opportunity to research these finds and potentially discover more about the individual buried there.’

The excavation in August 2011 revealed that cremated human bone and burnt textile was placed within an animal hide or with fur on top.

Archaeologists also found a delicate woven bag or basket with fine stitching still visible and containing preserved shale disc beads, amber spherical beads and a circular textile band.

Although around 200 burial cists are known on Dartmoor, they are rarely found with their original contents.

National park: The burial site excavation took place at Whitehorse Hill on Dartmoor (general photo of the national park), one of the park's tallest peaks National park: The burial site excavation took place at Whitehorse Hill on Dartmoor (general photo of the national park), one of the park's tallest peaks

The remains of an early Bronze Age bag excavated from a Dartmoor burial site in Devon

The remains of an early Bronze Age bag excavated from a Dartmoor burial site in Devon

The excavation, co-ordinated by Dartmoor National Park Authority, discovered the collection of early Bronze Age remains in a burial cist - a stone chest containing the ashes and belongings of a dead person - on Whitehorse Hill last year

The excavation, co-ordinated by Dartmoor National Park Authority, discovered the collection of early Bronze Age remains in a burial cist - a stone chest containing the ashes and belongings of a dead person - on Whitehorse Hill last year

Jane Marchand, senior archaeologist for Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Whitehorse Hill project manager, said: ‘This is a most unusual and fascinating glimpse into what an early Bronze Age grave goods assemblage on Dartmoor might have looked like as it was buried, including the personal possessions of people living on the moor around 4,000 years ago.’

Once the X-ray work is complete, further analysis will be made of the peat surrounding the cist.
Archaeologists believe this will give an insight into evidence of the vegetation and climate at the time of the burial.

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Tell everyone over and over that it is one of the most important archeological finds ever and you will get your funding.

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Let's list what we think are more important finds than this set in the bronze age found in the past 100 years, The Ice Man (had a bronze axe), King Tutankhamen's tomb, The Dendra Cuirass tomb etc..so many to list than a bag of posessions. This is a very important find, but it does pale in comparison.

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