Middle Bronze Age 1800-1200BC
- Created by: Canar
- Created on: 17-04-16 11:52
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- Middle Bronze Age 1800-1200BC
- Round barrows/cairns
- Inhumation-became predominant burial type
- Final phases of Stonehenge and Avebury
- Land control established-more hierarchical forms of burial-individual
- Rich grave goods
- Amesbury Archer (See LNEBA)
- Sun more significant-rise of agriculture-orientation of tombs/sites/houses to sun.
- Britain had a coastline similar to today
- Britons were c. 0.5m
- Religion and Ritual
- Bronze and religion
- Copper mines of Great Orne
- Produced 175-238 tonnes of copper
- Lots buried
- Lots 'dumped' in boggy areas and off causeways
- Some partly smelted then thrown in water-quenching and steaming as they went
- Magical concept as they passed to 'other' world
- Liminal sites?
- Finds at limits of dry land, or off platforms constructed along causeways
- To reach center of boggy area?
- Flag Fen
- 1km pier consisting of pile driven post alignments
- 2,000,000 trees with felling dates of 1280-924
- Felling dates often coincide with lunar eclipses
- ritual significance in age of astronomy
- Ceremonial significance of planting piles into bog during lunar eclipses
- Explains large time period as were only using axes and ropes-if only cutting in lunar eclipses going to take a long time
- ritual significance in age of astronomy
- Felling dates often coincide with lunar eclipses
- 2,000,000 trees with felling dates of 1280-924
- Deposits discarded off pier
- 1km pier consisting of pile driven post alignments
- 2,000,000 trees with felling dates of 1280-924
- Felling dates often coincide with lunar eclipses
- ritual significance in age of astronomy
- Ceremonial significance of planting piles into bog during lunar eclipses
- Explains large time period as were only using axes and ropes-if only cutting in lunar eclipses going to take a long time
- ritual significance in age of astronomy
- Felling dates often coincide with lunar eclipses
- 2,000,000 trees with felling dates of 1280-924
- Grinding stones
- Pots which were deliberately broken
- So why discard?
- 6 possible theories
- 1-Remove from circulation-anti-inflationary measure
- But there would need to be a lot of them being made for this to make sense-could they really produce bronze on such a grand scale?
- 2-Carelessness
- River deposits lost in transit, land hoards and forgotten caches
- Very valuable objects though so would they really have been careless enough to drop it into a wet area?
- River deposits lost in transit, land hoards and forgotten caches
- 3-Offerings to water gods
- Seems more plausible due to fact that items have been deliberately broken and used very little
- Offering up the most valuable items in society.
- Seems more plausible due to fact that items have been deliberately broken and used very little
- 4-Items of the defeated enemy
- Possible but not very likely due to almost pristine nature of swords
- If they had been used in defence of their land there would be nicks and wear on blades, but there is none.
- Possible but not very likely due to almost pristine nature of swords
- 5-Conspicuous destruction to show wealth and power
- New or current chieftain showing off-so much wealth that they can afford to just throw these items away?
- 6-Diplomatic gifts now not required?
- End of an alliance?
- 1-Remove from circulation-anti-inflationary measure
- 6 possible theories
- Some animal remains too-horse mandibles
- So why discard?
- Bronze objects (including swords) hardly used and deliberately broken
- Use wear analysis shows very little wear
- So why discard?
- 6 possible theories
- 1-Remove from circulation-anti-inflationary measure
- But there would need to be a lot of them being made for this to make sense-could they really produce bronze on such a grand scale?
- 2-Carelessness
- River deposits lost in transit, land hoards and forgotten caches
- Very valuable objects though so would they really have been careless enough to drop it into a wet area?
- River deposits lost in transit, land hoards and forgotten caches
- 3-Offerings to water gods
- Seems more plausible due to fact that items have been deliberately broken and used very little
- Offering up the most valuable items in society.
- Seems more plausible due to fact that items have been deliberately broken and used very little
- 4-Items of the defeated enemy
- Possible but not very likely due to almost pristine nature of swords
- If they had been used in defence of their land there would be nicks and wear on blades, but there is none.
- Possible but not very likely due to almost pristine nature of swords
- 5-Conspicuous destruction to show wealth and power
- New or current chieftain showing off-so much wealth that they can afford to just throw these items away?
- 6-Diplomatic gifts now not required?
- End of an alliance?
- 1-Remove from circulation-anti-inflationary measure
- 6 possible theories
- Placements continued for around 1,200 years.
- 1km pier consisting of pile driven post alignments
- Flag Fen is big but not unique
- Testwood Hampshire c.1500BC
- Oldest bridge in England-1500BC. (well the timbers were found anyway-143. None complete due to weathering. Shows advanced skills in carpentry
- Cleat of a boat found.
- 32cm bronze rapier
- Vauxhall 1550BC (bridge across Thames)
- Consits of two rows of wooden posts-doesn't connect banks
- Island in the middle at some point
- burial area?
- Island in the middle at some point
- Consits of two rows of wooden posts-doesn't connect banks
- Eton Rowing Lake 1350BC
- Don't need to know in detail-brief
- Finds include
- Series of bridges
- Ladder up to a bridge
- Burial mounds and wooden structures
- Human and animal remains
- Oldest scythe in Britain
- Potsherds, seeds, pollen
- Finds include
- Don't need to know in detail-brief
- Testwood Hampshire c.1500BC
- East of Peterborough
- 1km pier consisting of pile driven post alignments
- Flag Fen
- Possible dog sacrifices too
- Ritual killing of boats-laden with offerings and deliberately sunk.
- To reach center of boggy area?
- Other wet/dry sites have scatters of flint, pottery etc
- Votive offerings?
- Flag Fen
- Deposits discarded off pier
- Grinding stones
- Pots which were deliberately broken
- Some animal remains too-horse mandibles
- Bronze objects (including swords) hardly used and deliberately broken
- Use wear analysis shows very little wear
- Placements continued for around 1,200 years.
- Flag Fen is big but not unique
- Testwood Hampshire c.1500BC
- Oldest bridge in England-1500BC. (well the timbers were found anyway-143. None complete due to weathering. Shows advanced skills in carpentry
- Cleat of a boat found.
- 32cm bronze rapier
- Vauxhall 1550BC (bridge across Thames)
- Consits of two rows of wooden posts-doesn't connect banks
- Island in the middle at some point
- burial area?
- Island in the middle at some point
- Consits of two rows of wooden posts-doesn't connect banks
- Eton Rowing Lake 1350BC
- Don't need to know in detail-brief
- Finds include
- Series of bridges
- Ladder up to a bridge
- Burial mounds and wooden structures
- Human and animal remains
- Oldest scythe in Britain
- Potsherds, seeds, pollen
- Finds include
- Don't need to know in detail-brief
- Testwood Hampshire c.1500BC
- East of Peterborough
- Deposits discarded off pier
- Suggestions of heated stones in pools to provide saunas-purity idea of steam?
- Flag Fen
- Burnt mounds-heaps of refuse from ceremonies at water's edge? Or feasting?
- Votive offerings?
- Finds at limits of dry land, or off platforms constructed along causeways
- Liminal sites?
- Finds at limits of dry land, or off platforms constructed along causeways
- To reach center of boggy area?
- Possible dog sacrifices too
- Ritual killing of boats-laden with offerings and deliberately sunk.
- To reach center of boggy area?
- Other wet/dry sites have scatters of flint, pottery etc
- Votive offerings?
- Suggestions of heated stones in pools to provide saunas-purity idea of steam?
- Burnt mounds-heaps of refuse from ceremonies at water's edge? Or feasting?
- Votive offerings?
- Finds at limits of dry land, or off platforms constructed along causeways
- Some partly smelted then thrown in water-quenching and steaming as they went
- Lots 'dumped' in boggy areas and off causeways
- Copper mines of Great Orne
- Bronze and religion
- Domestic ritual
- In North and West big sites disappear but domestic settings show religious development
- Houses at Clad Hallan
- Underneath them are: broken pots (similar to Flag Fen?), 'closing deposits' sealed in new floor layers, and some foundation burials (often of partially mummified corpses of some age
- Dead now being interred at place of habitation?
- Similar to Skara Brae?
- Dead now being interred at place of habitation?
- One burial of particular interest as skeleton is composed of three individuals
- Head and neck from one man, jaw was from second, and the rest of the body from a thrid
- Reason?
- Head and jaw were 300-400 years older than the rest of the body
- Could only have survived intact if some soft tissue connective remains
- Not possible in Scottish climate without artificial preservation
- No evidence of complex mummification
- So somehow preserved body but seems to be a purely local innovation.
- Different cultures with different burial practices.
- So somehow preserved body but seems to be a purely local innovation.
- No evidence of complex mummification
- Not possible in Scottish climate without artificial preservation
- Could only have survived intact if some soft tissue connective remains
- Head and jaw were 300-400 years older than the rest of the body
- Head and jaw were 300-400 years older than the rest of the body
- Could only have survived intact if some soft tissue connective remains
- Not possible in Scottish climate without artificial preservation
- No evidence of complex mummification
- So somehow preserved body but seems to be a purely local innovation.
- Different cultures with different burial practices.
- So somehow preserved body but seems to be a purely local innovation.
- No evidence of complex mummification
- Not possible in Scottish climate without artificial preservation
- Could only have survived intact if some soft tissue connective remains
- Reason?
- Head and neck from one man, jaw was from second, and the rest of the body from a thrid
- Also one individual died around 1600BC but wasn't buried till 1,000BC
- Female interred around same time but died around 1,300BC.
- Underneath them are: broken pots (similar to Flag Fen?), 'closing deposits' sealed in new floor layers, and some foundation burials (often of partially mummified corpses of some age
- House arrangement to replicate sun's passage overhead
- Entrance to East to greet rising sun, working areas in west, sleeping in north and foundation burials in north east
- Dead go down with sun?
- Houses at Clad Hallan
- Underneath them are: broken pots (similar to Flag Fen?), 'closing deposits' sealed in new floor layers, and some foundation burials (often of partially mummified corpses of some age
- Dead now being interred at place of habitation?
- Similar to Skara Brae?
- Dead now being interred at place of habitation?
- One burial of particular interest as skeleton is composed of three individuals
- Head and neck from one man, jaw was from second, and the rest of the body from a thrid
- Reason?
- Reason?
- Head and neck from one man, jaw was from second, and the rest of the body from a thrid
- Also one individual died around 1600BC but wasn't buried till 1,000BC
- Female interred around same time but died around 1,300BC.
- Underneath them are: broken pots (similar to Flag Fen?), 'closing deposits' sealed in new floor layers, and some foundation burials (often of partially mummified corpses of some age
- Entrance to East to greet rising sun, working areas in west, sleeping in north and foundation burials in north east
- Creation of deities
- Death had long been celebrated as 'muse of religion', but in Bronze Age ancestor worship became superseded by deity religions in multiple cultures
- Supernatural forces given human form
- Easier to comprehend?
- Also to enable leader's of tribes to claim descent from deity
- Legitamacy
- Individual now symbolises religious salvation of many
- More pronounced in other areas such as Eygpt
- In Britain evidence is thinner
- However economic shift was occurring and later there are religions with deities at their centre
- Therefore can assume shift took place in Britain as well
- However economic shift was occurring and later there are religions with deities at their centre
- In Britain evidence is thinner
- Supernatural forces given human form
- Death had long been celebrated as 'muse of religion', but in Bronze Age ancestor worship became superseded by deity religions in multiple cultures
- Inhumation and burial
- Urnfield culture spreading from Hungary
- Landcsape marked by barrows-follow older lines and inherited systems/ritual landscapes
- Barleycroft farm alignments
- Complex of post alignments
- 950 posts
- In one of the post holes in line 2 there were remains of cremated human skulls
- roughly followed EW-NS axis.
- Located between two other sites
- Ring ditches and cremation cemetery to the west and the barrows' to the east.
- Proposed that they might link the two.
- Ring ditches and cremation cemetery to the west and the barrows' to the east.
- 950 posts
- Slight traces of two roundhouses of Bronze Age period and pit cluster from Neolithic
- Complex of post alignments
- Wide variety-Bowl, ditched, ditchless etc
- Is there something more complex going on though?
- Many buried in sites but evidence of removal of bones in fenland sites
- Repurposing?
- Many buried in sites but evidence of removal of bones in fenland sites
- Barleycroft farm alignments
- Traditional view-buried/cremated remians celebrated individual not community any more.
- Many buried in sites but evidence of removal of bones in fenland sites
- Repurposing?
- Many buried in sites but evidence of removal of bones in fenland sites
- Rites of passage in Bronze Age
- Hemp Knoll, Wiltshire
- Deep burial chamber dug
- Wickerwork coffin placed in centre
- remains contained in crouched position
- May have been wrapped in a shroud
- Accompanied by wrist guard (used and damaged), belt ring and a beaker
- Concelaed rather than on display
- Bring an end to memories?
- Concelaed rather than on display
- Due to presence of ox skull and four feet.
- Accompanied by wrist guard (used and damaged), belt ring and a beaker
- May have been wrapped in a shroud
- remains contained in crouched position
- Wickerwork coffin placed in centre
- Single secondary cremation interred in upturned food vessel.
- Deep burial chamber dug
- Raunds, Northamptonshire (again)
- Barrow
- 1 male inhumation placed on oak planks, covered by limestone cairn then 200 cattle skulls
- Suggesting?
- 1-organistaion
- 2-Mass participation-1 person can't eat 40,000 kilos of beef
- Clan celebration
- Primacy of buried man (chief?) with suggestion of social hierachy
- Deificiation of individual-legends and myths?
- Suggesting?
- 1 male inhumation placed on oak planks, covered by limestone cairn then 200 cattle skulls
- Barrow 6 shows burials over the top of ancient burials
- Ancestor connection?
- continuation of same cultural associations
- Site also used extensively for cremation until c.1000BC
- Barrow
- Silbury hill
- Seems random I know as from previous time but bare with me
- 1960's live excavation found no burial chamber as suspected
- However did find a series of chalk ramparts and internal structure
- Mausoleum?
- Left it rather unstable too
- However did find a series of chalk ramparts and internal structure
- 1960's live excavation found no burial chamber as suspected
- Seems random I know as from previous time but bare with me
- Hemp Knoll, Wiltshire
- Round barrows/cairns
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