Monument record TR 26 NE 1272 - Barrow 1 with Early Bronze Age beaker burial - Plateau 6 Thanet Earth

Barrow 1 was situated on the south-west facing slope of the eastern side of a shallow dry valley in Plateau 6 at an elevation of 31.5m OD. It survived as two concentric ring ditches roughly 17m and 22m in diameter respectively, separated by a berm approximately 1m wide. An inhumation grave lay roughly at the centre of the barrow within the circuit of the inner ditch.

The inner ditch had an average width of 1.7m at the top and 0.7m at the base, with a mean depth of 0.9m. The sides of the cut were moderately sloping, steepening slightly towards the bottom turning abruptly into a flat base. Four phases of infilling were identified with the uppermost deposits having been disturbed by ploughing (Plates 26, 27 and 30). The primary fill was a thin layer of fine grey brown clay silt evenly deposited around the base. Sampling revealed the presence of mussel shell and charcoal traces perhaps suggesting the deposit did not completely originate through natural processes. Land snail assemblages comprised a mix of dry, open ground taxa suggesting short-turf grassland with areas of bare ground or where the underlying chalk was exposed, and those indicative of damper, shaded conditions such as woodland, hedgerow or scrub. Above this was a sequence of brown silty clays containing varying concentrations of chalk accumulated through natural infilling. The uppermost fills were comprised of relatively homogeneous dark brown clay silt with occasional chalk lenses and inclusions likely colluvial influx and levelling of the barrow mound through agricultural action. Finds included both worked and burnt flint, animal bone, oyster shell and daub while mussel shell and grains were also present, along with the largest proportion of land snails, probably reflecting arable farming in the vicinity. Outer ring-ditch G6006 The outer ditch had an average width of 2.2m at the top and 0.8m at the base, with a mean depth of 0.9m. The sides of the cut were moderately sloping becoming steeper towards the bottom with a flat base. Three main phases of infilling were identified. The primary fills were comprised of chalk rubble interspersed evenly with laminated clay silts. No finds were recovered apart from a single worked flint, along with fragments of oyster shell and carbon and a very small amount of cremated human bone (SK 6.12). Land snails were suggestive of open ground at the time of the creation of the ditch and are also consistent with the primarily chalk rubble nature of the fill which suggests rapid episodic formation via erosion and collapse from the sides punctuated by less dramatic deposition of the clay silt laminations. The second phase of infilling consisted of brown silt clays with varying concentrations of fragmented chalk. A few finds of animal bone and worked flint were retrieved, along with a modest land snail assemblage.

Four pits cut the second phase of infilling of the outer ring-ditch. Two distinct pairs of cuts were evident. The first pair were sub oval pits of similar shape and size in plan, 1.2m and 1.6m wide and 0.9m to 1.2m deep respectively, with slightly undercut U-shaped profiles and flat bases. These were located 15m apart in the southern half of the barrow. The second pair were sub-circular and located adjacent to one another along the eastern side of ditch, measuring 2.9m in diameter, and 0.8m and 0.9m deep, with steep sided U-shaped profiles and flat bases. All contained similar laminated fills of orange brown silt clay and a high concentration of redeposited chalk, devoid of artefactual material. Along with the ring-ditches the pits were sealed by a layer of colluvial material (G6087) composed of more uniform brown clay silts similar to those within the inner ditch. A small assemblage of prehistoric pottery, dated to 2300–1600 BC and 1300– 1000 BC.

Lying roughly (but not precisely) in the centre of the barrow was sub-rectangular grave with rounded corners, aligned north-south along its longitudinal axis. At maximum it was 2.57m long and 1.64m wide, 0.84m deep with near vertical sides and a flat base. At the base of the grave was the articulated skeleton of an adult male. The body was laid in the grave on the hard chalk base of the cut in a crouched position, with the head at the north end facing east. The skeleton was radiocarbon dated to 2193–1981 cal BC. A fine East Anglian style Beaker pot, had been placed at the feet of the skeleton. This was complete though badly crushed and had been laid, or ended up on its side laterally to the grave. Other grave goods included a copper tanged dagger positioned under the right scapula and a wrist guard or bracer of non-local stone, under the left radius and ulna and perhaps bound to the wrist before burial (Plates 34 and 35). The bracer belongs to the amphibolite stone-type group and although the precise source has not been identified, it seems likely to have geological origins on the continent, perhaps in Spain or the Alpine region. A large gap between the skeleton and the southern edge of the grave may indicate further, possibly organic grave goods were once present but have since decayed away. Stable isotope analysis of the skeleton suggests that he was of local origin. Lying at the very top of a upper fill deposit were the disarticulated skeletal remains of a young child between 4–6 years old. The bones were heavily disturbed, with only fragments of skull, dentition and upper torso surviving.

In terms of dating, this is probably the second earliest barrow to have been uncovered during the Thanet earth excavations, its almost certainly primary central burial to 2193–1981 cal BC. The two ditches were probably cut at the same time, although this cannot be proved by stratigraphy or artefactual evidence. Given their similarity it is clear that both were probably in use at the same time and there is persuasive evidence for the ditches being exactly contemporary. The East Anglian style beaker within this grave was decorated with a series of horizontal bands filled with cross-hatched incised decoration, with undecorated bands between. This type of decoration is typical of typologically early beaker vessels and this burial may therefore pre-date 2000BC. The tanged dagger
form however, is usually provenanced to the 25th to 23rd century BC although an example from the Ferry Fryston burial is dated 2210–2030 cal BC. But it may have been old upon deposition.

The evidence suggests that Barrow 1 was a single phase but multi-ditched monument, possibly of bell-barrow type, with great care taken to form its structure and producing a ‘finished’ edifice.

The six excavated ring ditches of this period form part of a much larger distribution, known mostly from cropmark evidence, that extends predominantly to the east and north-east of the site. Other ring-ditches also undoubtedly survive within the unexcavated zones of the overall site, particularly to the south. (information summarised from source) (1)

A ring ditch forming part of a round barrow of Bronze Age date was visible as a cropmark in NMR 2639/3173 01-AUG-1985. The concentric double ring ditches revealed by excavation were expressed as one faint, broad ring ditch in that aerial photograph. This feature was mapped as part of the Historic England Isle of Thanet project in 2024. (2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2023, Beneath the Seamark: 6000 Years of an Islands History (Monograph). SKE55405.

<2> Historic England Archive, 1920-2024, Historic England Archive Specialist oblique aerial photographs, NMR 2639/3173 01-AUG-1985 (Archive). SKE57106.