The Archaeology of Castle Hill, Wittenham Clumps

HOMEPAGE

The Archaeology of Castle Hill

Trench 1

Trench 2

Trench 3

Trench 5

Week 6

Trench 3

Trench 6

Index

Week 2 update

Week 3 update

Week 4 update

Week 5 update

Interim Summary Reports

Photographs of people at work

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Latest from Castle Hill

Further excavation within the large Early Iron Age pit at the top of the trench has revealed a black polished pottery lid with an inlaid white decorative pattern. The inlay is probably chalk. Fragments of many other pottery vessels have also been found, and altogether should provide a good impression of the range of kitchen and table ware of the time.

The group of Iron Age pits just downslope from the buried Bronze Age ditch continue to provide surprises. One pit, which contained a human infant burial in its top, has now revealed several groups of articulated bones from an adult. While groups of bones are articulated (that is arranged just as the bones are in life), these groups are in separate areas of the pit, suggesting that this person was buried in bits. Similar groups of bones have been found in pits on other Iron Age sites, leading to the suggestion that Iron Age people practised excarnation, that is exposing the dead to the weather and to scavenging by birds until the bones were defleshed, then gathering and burying them. Sometimes the tendons and ligaments still survived when the bones were collected, hence groups of bones still hung together. Whatever the truth of this, three individuals have now been found in this group of pits, making it almost a cemetery.

The black polished pottery lid found in Trench 3. This pottery and the red slip pot found in Trench 3 earlier in the excavation would have been fine tableware and perhaps only used on special occasions.

We have found parts of articulated skeletons in several pits on site. Perhaps after death these individuals were exposed to the elements and after a period of decomposition and defleshing, but before the bones were completely disarticulated, were interred in pits.

If you would like to help on the dig please speak to one of the team, or contact Denise Price, at Oxford Archaeology on 01865 263800. Application forms may also be obtained by e-mail from denise.price@oxfordarch.co.uk.