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Complete Neolithic Pot found in Didcot Archaeologists working on a housing development in Oxfordshire claim to have found one of the oldest complete pots in the country (5,500 years old). Nice photo at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-12698321 Comments (1)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by mascot 11th March 2011ce

Ashmolean wins the Arts Fund Prize 2010 Ulster Museum came a close second (I'd have been happy to see it win). Even happier that the count has now been checked and verified and the wonderful Ashmolean has actually won. http://www.artfundprize.org.uk/2010/vote/poll-results-final... continues... Comments (4)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by tjj 23rd June 2010ce Edited 21st July 2010ce

'The Lost World of Old Europe' - Ashmolean exhibition Exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, Oxford. http://www.ashmolean.org/plan/openingtimes/ 'The Lost World of Old Europe' The Danube Valley 5000-3500BC 20 May - 15th August 2010 Galleries 57, 59 & 60 Admission: £6... continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by tjj 14th June 2010ce

John Aubrey - Royal Society 2010 Summer Exhibition, Oxford Bodleian Library - University of Oxford 2010 Summer Exhibition – John Aubrey Stumbled on this by chance today whilst having a potter around the ever enjoyable city of Oxford. An exhibition for the 350th Anniversary of the Royal Society... continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by tjj 10th June 2010ce Edited 10th June 2010ce

The Ashmolean Transformed The new Ashmolean Museum in Oxford was opened to the public last weekend 7/8th November. Today, I had some spare time and as it was wet and windy it was a perfect day to visit. The ground floor is given over to the Ancient World. Unfortunately the European Prehistory room is not ready yet (I was told to give it another month)... continues... Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by tjj 13th November 2009ce Edited 15th November 2009ce

Oxford Reveals Bronze Age Site Site of Bronze Age burial site found during dig in Oxford http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/8336475.stm Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by ginger tt 5th November 2009ce Edited 5th November 2009ce

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Hillforts of the Vale Simple site showing the hill forts in and around the Vale Of The White Horse. Comments (4)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by ginger tt 3rd October 2009ce Edited 14th November 2009ce

Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock Fantastic place! See the oldest bread in Britain! Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Jane 31st August 2003ce

Hillforts of the Ridgeway Project The Hillforts of the Ridgeway Project is a long-term research project centred on the Ridgeway and the northern Berkshire Downs. The focus is on continuity and change during the later Prehistoric and Romano-British Periods. Work so far has centred on White Horse Hill, Segsbury Camp and Alfred's Castle. The project is run as a training excavation for full-time students on the Oxford BA Archaeology and Anthropology course, and part-time students on Oxford Continuing Education Certificate and Diploma courses. Work continues at Alfred's Castle in July 2000. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by RiotGibbon 29th August 2001ce

Dorcester Neolithic Complex (Ancient Temple) — Images (click to view fullsize)

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce

Site VIII — Miscellaneous

Details of site on Pastscape A long subrectangular enclosure of Earlier Neolithic date, part of a complex of monuments at Dorchester on Thames. The site was excavated in the late 1940s in advance of gravel extraction. The enclosure is cut by the Dorchester cursus (SU 59 NE 5, which it pre-dates, but whose northwest-southeast alignment it shares. The enclosure may have featured an internal bank. Three causeways were evident - one midway along its southern side, one towards the end of the northern side, near the northeast corner, and the third in the middle of the short southeast side. This last was later bisected by the southern ditch of the cursus. Two narrow parallel ditches cut across the site on a different alignment. They post-date the cursus. Finds were few - part of a human jaw was found within the site, prompting suggestions that it may have been a mortuary enclosure. The upper ditch fills included Peterborough Ware sherds and some flint implements. The jaw was not within an observed feature, but was found at surface level following mechanical cutting. "Site VIII" (SU571955) excav. 1948 when threatened by gravel-digging. A sub-rectangular enclosure 210' long by 70' wide defined by a ditch with internal bank. Small gaps at NE corner & in the centre of the W. side and a larger gap in the S. end. Traversed longitudinally by the west ditch of the Cursus, which was proved to be later, & which passes through the S. gap & is broken itself just to the South. Much Ebbsfleet or Peterborough pottery in Cursus ditch & upper filling of enclosure ditch. Prob. a ritual structure & may be connected with a type of Wessex Long Barrow. [SU 5702 9565: D.T.]. (1) [Sited to SU 57009570]. (2) Inf. as T.I. Pottery stated to be Ebbsfleet. F.A.H. . (3) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE TEXT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia 13, 1948 Page(s)66 (2) Field Investigators Comments F1 FKB 09-SEP-52 (2a) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments (3) Field Investigators Comments F2 FKB 09-SEP-52 (3b) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments (4) Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society - Whittle, A et al. Excavations in the Neolithic and Bronze Age Complex at Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, 1947-1952 and 1981. 58, 1992 Page(s)143-201 Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce

Site IX — Miscellaneous

Details of site on Pastscape Traces of a ditched field system visible as cropmarks on air photographs and partly excavated in 1947-52 during work focused on the Dorchester On Thames cursus (SU 59 NE 5) and adjacent monuments. Located towards the northwestern end of the cursus, the system comprises a rectilinear arrangement of narrow paired ditches orientated roughly northeast-southwest. The orientation is different from that of the cursus, which the field system cuts across, but is the same as that of the large henge SU 59 NE 3. Atkinson et al (1951) believed the ditches to be of Neolithic origin because of the apparent discovery of Abingdon style Neolithic pottery in the primary ditch fill. However, later examination of the sherds (in Bradley and Chambers 1988; Whittle et al 1992) suggested that a Middle or Late Bronze Age date was far more likely. "Site IX" (SU569958). A complex of shallow linear ditches excavation 1948 when threatened by gravel digging. Two separate constructions:- (a) A large enclosure, probably sub-rectangular, of which only the S.E. corner was excavated. Its ditch was broken here and antedated the East ditch of the Cursus. (b) A group of ditches, of which the chief pair formed a "droveway" about 12' wide which crossed the silted East ditch of the Cursus, passed through the gap in the earlier enclosure and continued South for about 400 yards to cross "Site VIII" [Oxon 46 SW. 4. D.T.] (SU 570956) diagonally. These ditches contained Ne pottery of Abingdon type. [centred at SU 56959584]. (1) Centred at SU 56989575. (2) "It is clear that the Cursus and sites VIII & IX are all of Neolithic date". (3) Site IX is a complex of linear ditches of at least two structural periods, the first of which is earlier and the second later than the construction of the Cursus. The main feature of the second period is a `droveway' found of two parallel ditches which runs S. through site VIII, cutting its ditches and that of the Cursus. Pottery of W. Neolithic (Abingdon) type (a) occurs in a primary position in the `droveway' complex. (4) Traces of a ditched field system visible as cropmarks on air photographs and partly excavated in 1947-52 during work focused on the Dorchester On Thames cursus (SU 59 NE 5) and adjacent monuments. Located towards the northwestern end of the cursus, the system comprises a rectilinear arrangement of narrow paired ditches orientated roughly northeast-southwest. The orientation is different from that of the cursus, which the field system cuts across, but is the same as that of the large henge SU 59 NE 3. Atkinson et al (1951) believed the ditches to be of Neolithic origin because of the apparent discovery of Abingdon style Neolithic pottery in the primary ditch fill. However, later examination of the sherds (in Bradley and Chambers 1988; Whittle et al 1992) suggested that a Middle or Late Bronze Age date was far more likely. Although the fabric is not entirely dissimilar to Early Neolithic wares, the sherds (which represent about half of a flat-based pot) belongs either to local Deverel-Rimbury or Post-Deverel-Rimbury traditions. Note that further elements of field systems probably of the same date and same broad orientation are visible as cropmarks and were encountered at the oppoiste, southeastern end of the cursus during excavations in 1981. (5-7) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE TEXT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia 13, 1948 Page(s)67 (2) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments Page(s)60 (3) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia 13, 1948 Page(s)67 (4) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments Page(s)60 (4a) The Antiquaries journal : journal of the Society of Antiquaries of London 7, 1927 Page(s)438FF (4b) The Antiquaries journal : journal of the Society of Antiquaries of London 8, 1928 Page(s)461FF (5) Oxford journal of archaeology Bradley R and R Chambers. A New Study of the Cursus Complex at Dorchester On Thames 7, 1988 Page(s)271-289 (6) Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society - Whittle A et al. Excavations in the Neolithic and Bronze Age Complex at Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, 1947-1952 and 1981. 58, 1992 Page(s)143-201 (7) A Barclay, J Harding (eds) 1999 Pathways and Ceremonies: the cursus monuments of Britain and Ireland - Loveday R. Dorchester-on-Thames - ritual complex or ritual landscape? Page(s)49-63 Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce

Site V (Henge) — Miscellaneous

Details of site on Pastscape A Late Neolithic hengiform monument, comprising a penannular enclosure formed of 13 contiguous pits or ditch segments, open to the northeast, and with an internal diameter of around 7 metres. The site is part of a complex of monuments clustered around the Dorchester cursus (SU 59 NE 5). It was excavated in 1951 in advance of gravel extraction. Most of the segments had holes at their bases, though there was reportedly no evidence that they had held uprights. 21 cremation deposits were found, 12 of them within the central area. Two sherds of Peterborough Ware were found in the pit fills. "Site V" excav. 1947. A cremation cemetery consisting of a causewayed ditch with external bank & an entrance-gap on NW, containing 21 cremation burials, prob. late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age. Each segment of the ditch had a post-hole cut into its floor. Full report to be pubd. by Ashmolean Museum "during 1948". (1) Inf. as above, : plus:- Ditch consisted of 13 segments; in the floor of each segment, with two exceptions, was a hole. No direct evidence of date was found, but the site is probably contemporary with Sites II, IV & VI. [Oxon. 46 SW 9, 10 & 12] [SU 56915978]. (2) Class I in `Classification of Henge Monuments in G.B'. (3) Dorchester V. SU 570 957 (sic). Listed by Kinnes as a Neolithic ring ditch with cremation deposits in the enclosure and the upper ditch fill. (4) Listed by Harding and Lee as a segmented ditch circle with possible 'mini-henge'. (5) Cropmark remains of a small Neolithic Hengiform monument seen at SU 5691 9578. The feature consists of a sub circular enclsoure defined by a single ditch with a diameter of 9m and an entrance to the north. The site lies 6m from the south-western ditch of the Dorchester Cursus (SU59NE 5). This feature was mapped at 1:10,000 scale for the RCHME: Thames Valley NMP (Morph No.TG.371.24) (6) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE TEXT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia Arch.Notes 1947 XI-XII Page(s)164 (2) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments (3) General reference Ref. as T.2 p.94. (4) by Ian Kinnes 1979 Round barrows and ring-ditches in the British Neolithic British Museum occasional papers no.7 Page(s)19 (5) by A F Harding ; with G E Lee 1987 Henge monuments and related sites of Great Britain : air photographic evidence and catalogue BAR British series1 (1974) - Site 152 175 Page(s)244-247 (6) RCHME/EH Aerial Photographers Comment Fiona Small/02-APR-1993/RCHME: Thames Valley NMP Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce

Site VI (Henge) — Miscellaneous

Details of site on Pastscape A small sub-circular hengiform enclosure comprising a single ditch formed by 11 discontinuous oval pits of varying size. The site is part of the monument complex at Dorchester-on-Thames clustered around the cursus (SU 59 NE 5). The site was excavated in 1947 in advance of gravel extraction. Each segment had at least one post hole cut into its base, but there was reportedly no evidence of any uprights. 49 cremation deposits were found, of which 13 were in the central area and 33 in the filling of the ditch. Finds included some potsherds including Peterborough Ware from the ditch, and a transverse arrowhead with one of the cremations. "Site VI" excav. 1947. A cremation cemetery consisting of a causewayed ditch with external bank & an entrance-gap in N.W., containing 49 cremated burials, prob. late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age. Each segment of the ditch had a posthole cut into its floor. Full report to be pub'd by Ashmolean Museum. "during 1948". (1) Inf. as above. Ditch was originally formed of 11 segments. One of the cremation burials was accompanied by a flint fabricator, a `petit tranchet' derivative arrowhead & burnt flint flakes. Sherds of Peterborough ware were found in the ditch though not in the primary silting. The 49 burials included the remains of 55 individals. Finds suggest a Neo date for the site. [SU 56869580]. (2) Class I in `Classification of Henge Monuments in G.B'. (3) Dorchester VI. SU 570 957 (sic) Listed by Kinnes as a Neolithic ring ditch with cremation burials in the enclosure and upper ditch fill. (4) Listed by Harding and Lee as a mini-henge. (5) Cropmark remains of a small Neolithic hengiform monument seen at SU 5686 9580. The site consists of a sub circular enclosure defined by a single ditch with a diameter of 10 and an entrance to the north. It lies 15m from the south-west ditch of the Dorchester Cursus. The site was mapped at 1;10,000 scale for the RCHME: Thames Valley NMP (Morph No.TG371.23.1). (6) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE TEXT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia Arch.Notes 1947. XI-XII Page(s)164 (2) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments (3) General reference - Ref as T.2 p.94. (4) by Ian Kinnes 1979 Round barrows and ring-ditches in the British Neolithic British Museum occasional papers no.7 page(s)19 (5) by A F Harding ; with G E Lee 1987 Henge monuments and related sites of Great Britain : air photographic evidence and catalogue BAR British series1 (1974) - Site 153 175 Page(s)247 (6) RCHME/EH Aerial Photographers Comment Fiona Small/02-APR-1993/RCHME: Thames Valley NMP Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce

Site VII (Henge) — Miscellaneous

Details of site on Pastscape A ring ditch circa 25 metres in diameter, visible as a cropmark on air photographs and excavated in 1947 in advance of gravel extraction. Located just west of the southwestern ditch of the Dorchester On Thames cursus (SU 59 NE 5), not far from the most northwesterly known extent of the cursus, the monument was referred to by Atkinson et al (1951) as a probable bell barrow, though they provide no definite evidence to support this assertion. The central area contained three pits. One was empty; one contained an unaccompanied cremation; and the third contained a cremation with burnt bronze awl. A small collared urn stood alone on a narrow shelf cut into the side of the pit. According to Atkinson et al's rather brief report, "a secondary Saxon cemetery of upwards of nine inhumations occupied the periphery of the barrow". Apparently little of the skeletons survived, presumably due to the soil conditions. Associated finds included a necklace of glass and amber beads, some spearheads and bronze disc brooches. Further burials were reportedly disturbed by a mechanical excavator when the site was dug away during subsequent gravel extraction. "Site VII", excav. 1947. A much-weathered Middle Bronze Age Round Barrow, prob. originally bell, which covered two cremated burials in separate pits (one with a small overhanging rim urn and a fragmentary bronze awl) and an empty pit. Nine secondary Saxon burials round the periphery, from which in most cases the body had entirely disappeared. [SU 56829581]. (1) The above-given siting falls at the edge of a flooded, disused gravel pit. The surrounding land is under pasture. No trace of a barrow could be found. (2) Cropmark remains of a probable round barrow seen at SU 5682 9581. The barrow is circular, defined by a single ditch and has a diameter of 25m. The site was mapped at 1;10,000 scale for the RCHME: Thames Valley NMP ( Morph No. TG.371.1.1). (3) A ring ditch circa 25 metres in diameter, visible as a cropmark on air photographs and excavated in 1947 in advance of gravel extraction. Located just west of the southwestern ditch of the Dorchester On Thames cursus (SU 59 NE 5), not far from the most northwesterly known extent of the cursus, the monument was referred to by Atkinson et al (1951) as a probable bell barrow, though they provide no definite evidence to support this assertion. In fact, only a brief summary of the ring ditch excavation was published, and for reasons unexplained the site was not among those published by Whittle et al (1992). The central area contained three pits. One was empty; one contained an unaccompanied cremation; and the third contained a cremation with burnt bronze awl. A small collared urn stood alone on a narrow shelf cut into the side of the pit. According to Atkinson et al's rather brief report, "a secondary Saxon cemetery of upwards of nine inhumations occupied the periphery of the barrow". Apparently little of the skeletons survived, presumably due to the soil conditions. Associated finds included a necklace of glass and amber beads, some spearheads and bronze disc brooches. Further burials were reportedly disturbed by a mechanical excavator when the site was dug away during subsequent gravel extraction. (4-6) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE TEXT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia 11-12, 1947 Page(s)164 (2) Field Investigators Comments F1 ASP 20-MAR-68 (3) RCHME/EH Aerial Photographers Comment Fiona Small/01-Apr-1993/RCHME: Thames Valley NMP (4) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments Page(s)60 (5) by Audrey Meaney 1964 A gazetteer of early Anglo-Saxon burial sites Page(s)208 (6) Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society - Whittle A et al. Excavaions in the Neolithic and Bronze Age Complex at Dorchester on Thames, Oxfordshire 1947-52 and 1981. 58, 1992 Page(s)143-201 Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce

Site IV (Henge) — Miscellaneous

Details of site on Pastscape A Neolithic ring ditch comprising eight contiguous oval pits which form a small penannular enclosure with an internal diameter of circa 6 metres. The enclosure is open to the south east. The site is part of a complex of monuments focused on the Dorchester cursus (SU 59 NE 5) and was excavated in 1947 in advance of gravel quarrying. Located within the cursus, it shares the same alignment. The site originally featured an outer bank, and each pit had contained a post hole. 25 cremation deposits were found at the site, one accompanied by a petit tranchet derivative arrowhead. Other finds included further flints, two antler picks and traces of two wooden planks. "Site IV" excav. by O.U.A.S. 1947. A cremation cemetery with a ditch consisting of eight contiguous pits with an entrance gap to the South: it contained 25 cremations. Full report to be published by Ashmolean Museum "during 1948", with sites I, II, V and VI. (1) This site is very similar to other sites in the same complex that probably belonged to the late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age. [SU 56089577]. (2) "The site was a causewayed cremation & cemetery, consisting of a discontinuous ditch of 8 segments, each in the form of an oval pit, enclosing an area some 20' in diam.; the ditch was broken by a broad entrance-gap on the SE side. A bank followed the ditch on its outer side, & in the floor of each segment was a single hole. Within the area enclosed by the bank were 25 deposits of cremated bones. The only significant find was a "petit tranchet" derivative arrowhead with one of the cremations". (3) Class I in `Classification of Henge Monuments in G.B'. (4) Dorchester IV. SU 570 957 (sic) Listed by Kinnes as a Neolithic ring ditch with cremation burials in the enclosure and the upper ditch fill. (5) Dorchester IV. Listed by Harding and Lee as a segmented ditch circle lying within the Dorchester cursus. (6) Cropmark remains of a small hengiform monument located within the Dorchester cursus at SU 5698 9578. The site appears as a sub circular enclosure defined by a single ditch with a diameter of 10m and and entrance to the south-east. The site was mapped at 1:10,000 scale for the RCHME:Thames Valley NMP (Morph NO.TG.371.25.1). (7) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE TEXT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia Arch.Notes 1947 XI-XII Page(s)164 (2) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia Arch. Notes. (1946-7) 11-12 Page(s)164 (3) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments (4) General reference Ref. as T.3 p.94. (5) by Ian Kinnes 1979 Round barrows and ring-ditches in the British Neolithic British Museum occasional papers no.7 Page(s)19 (6) by A F Harding ; with G E Lee 1987 Henge monuments and related sites of Great Britain : air photographic evidence and catalogue BAR British series1 (1974) - Site 151 175 Page(s)244 (7) RCHME/EH Aerial Photographers Comment Fiona Small/02-APR-1993/RCHME: Thames Valley NMP Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce

Site I (Henge) — Miscellaneous

Details of site on Pastscape A Neolithic ring ditch and pit circle excavated in 1946 in advance of gravel extraction. The site is part of the monument complex focused around the Dorchester cursus (SU 59 NE 5). An inner setting of oval pits formed a circle circa 12 metres in diameter. Some of the pits had cremations placed within their fills. Outside and concentric with this pit circle was a complete ring ditch of circa 34 metres external diameter. A bank probably existed between the two. The outer ditch was subsequently enlarged via the digging of a series of irregular pits around its circumference. The interior of the site included a crouched inhumation and some irregular depressions. Finds included Abingdon Ware sherds, some Beaker and Peterborough Ware sherds, a Grooved Ware sherd, and a transverse arrowhead. Two of the crematiosn were accompanied by bone pins. The monument was surrounded by a square ditched enclosure whose date is uncertain, though Neolithic sherds were found within its fill. Site shown in (1) as a circle in a square, excavation 1946 by Mrs. C.M. Piggott when threatened by gravel-digging. A henge monument consisting of a horse-shoe of postholes enclosed by a circular ditch with a square ditch surrounding all. Pottery in primary associations included Abingdon (Neo. A) & Grooved Wares. Peterborough (Neo B) indicated secondary occupation of circular ditch: four secondary cremations suggest re-dedication. (1) Full report to be published by Ashmolean Museum "during 1948". (2) The 6". Grid Ref. of the site is SU 5687 9567. (3) "Site I". "The site proved to be a composite monument with two stages in its history. In stage one, a second monument of the henge type was built. It consisted of a penanular ring of 13 holes or pits, surrounded by an irregular oval or sub-circular ditch, with an internal bank filling the space between it & the holes. There was an entrance-gap in the ring of holes on the W. side. The oval ditch was in turn enclosed within a square ditch, set with its diagonals coinciding with the long, & short axes of the oval. Neither ditch was broken by an entrance. Within the entrance of the ring of holes was a crouched burial, apparently unaccompanied; four cremations, two accompanied by fragmentary bone pins, lay in or beside four of the central holes. This stage of the monument appears to be of one design & to have been built by people using pottery predominantly of the Abingdon (Western Neo) type. (One sherd of grooved ware also found). In stage II, people using Peterborough Neo. pottery enlarged parts of the oval ditch to make temporary shelters; although they respected the central area there is no evidence that they used it as a ceremonial structure. It is possible, however, that the four cremations belong to this stage". (4) Dorchester 1. Listed by Kinnes as a Neolithic ring ditch and pit circle. (5) Listed by Harding and Lee as a segmented ditch circle with pit ring. (6) Cropmark remains of a square enclosure with an inner circle of interrupted ditches seen at SU 5686 9569. The outer enclosure is defined by a single ditch and measures 28m x 28m, the inner enclosure is sub circular and has a diameter of 20m. This enclosure has been identifed as a hengiform monument (class 1). The site was mapped at 1:10,000 scale for the RCHME: Thames valley NMP (Morph No.TG.371.29.1). (7) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE TEXT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia XI-XII Page(s)162 (2) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia XI-XII Page(s)164 (3) Field Investigators Comments F1 DT 01-AUG-51 (4) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments (5) by Ian Kinnes 1979 Round barrows and ring-ditches in the British Neolithic British Museum occasional papers no.7 Page(s)19 (6) by A F Harding ; with G E Lee 1987 Henge monuments and related sites of Great Britain : air photographic evidence and catalogue BAR British series1 (1974) - Site 149 175 Page(s)242-243 (7) RCHME/EH Aerial Photographers Comment Fiona Small/01-Apr-1993/RCHME: Thames Valley NMP Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce

Site II (Henge) — Miscellaneous

Details of site on Pastscape A later Neolithic or Early Bronze Age ring ditch plus two concentric pit circles, part of the monument complex focused on the Dorchester cursus (SU 59 NE 5). The site was excavated in 1946 in advance of gravel extraction. The ring ditch itself appears segmented or causewayed, while the pit circles contain pits of varying size, some large enough to describe as ditch segments. All three circuits contained cremation deposits. The central area featured 4 pits, the contents of which included cremations, aninal bones and flints. A sherd of "Early Bronze Age fabric" was in one of the pits, while a Peterborough Ware sherd came from one of the ditches. Site shown in (1) as two rings of dots [taken from Air Photo: D.T.] excav. 1946 by R.J.C. Atkinson when threatened by gravel digging. Three concentric causewayed ditches, each representing a separate phase of constuction. "The almost complete absence of pottery & the presence of 21 cremations suggests that it was a cemetery, probably of the Early or Middle Bronze Age." [SU 5692 9573 D.T.]. (1) Full report to be published by Ashmolean Museum "during 1948". (2) "Excavation of [this "Site" II"] revealed the structual phases, of which the second follows very closely on the first: 1. A roughly circular ditch (outer diam. 45') was begun, but was refilled before it was completed. 2. A second ditch, with internal bank, was excavated immediately outside the first, its line being broken by several irregularly spaced causeways. 3. After some lapse of time, the second structure was destroyed, & a third ditch, set out from a different centre, was excavated round the site of the second. This ditch was regularly causewayed, & had an internal bank in which were deposited 19 cremations; two more cremations were placed at the centre of the area enclosed. There was no evidence for entrance - causeways or timber structures in any phase of construction. Objects found with the cremations may be associatied with the Secondary *Neo. communities of the first part of the 2nd millenium B.C." *"Secondary Neo." is used to denote elements in Brit. Neo. Culture other than those of Windmill Hill type & those of the Megalithic tombs of the W. &. N. (ii) "...Site II must be regarded as a sacred site of the Neo. period. roughly contemporary with site I [Oxon 46 SW 8] ..." (iii) The earlier plan (ditches 1 & 2) resembles site I while the later phase (ditch 3) is closely allied to the three small cremations. Sites IV - VI [Oxon 46 SW 10 - 12] [SU 59 NE 10-12]. (3) Finds from this site include Peterborough sherd(s), two fragments of leaf or lonzenge shaped arrowheads and a Levallois type flake. (4) Dorchester II SU 570 957. Listed by Kinnes as a Neolithic ring ditch with 3 phases. (5) Cropmark remains of a Neolithic causewayed ring ditch seen at SU 5694 9574. The site comprises two concentric circuits of segmented ditches with diameters of approximately 12m and 20m, and was mapped at 1:10,000 scale for the RCHME: Thames Valley NMP (Morph No. TG.371.22.1). (6) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE TEXT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia 11-12 Page(s)162 (2) Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society Oxoniensia 12 Page(s)164 (3) by R J C Atkinson, C M Piggott and N K Sandars 1951 Excavations at Dorchester, Oxon: first report. Sites I, II, IV, V and VI, with a chapter on henge monuments (4) General reference Ref. to:- as in T.3 p.113. (5) by Ian Kinnes 1979 Round barrows and ring-ditches in the British Neolithic British Museum occasional papers no.7 Page(s)19 (6) RCHME/EH Aerial Photographers Comment Fiona Small/02-APR-1993/RCHME: Thames Valley NMP (7) by A F Harding ; with G E Lee 1987 Henge monuments and related sites of Great Britain : air photographic evidence and catalogue BAR British series1 (1974) - 175 Page(s)243-5 Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce

Dorchester Big Rings Henge — Images

Posted by Chance 5th February 2012ce