More information : (ST 99505905) IA 'A' pottery, including heamatite-coated ware, is recorded from the cemetery 600 yards north of Potterne Church. It was in Devizes Museum and private possession and seems to have been found before 1923. (1-5)
The siting is evidently based upon Cunnington's personal knowledge. The pottery was found in an allotment by a
Mr G Holloway in 1894. It was given to a Mr H Medlicote who sent it to Pitt-Rivers for identification. Upon Medlicote's death in 1923 it was given to Devizes Museums. There are some three dozen sherds including haematite-coated, burnished and coarse wares, a fragment of human skull and boars' tusks. (6)
Approximately ST 99505905. Iron Age pottery, early phase onwards, found in area of cemetery at Potterne. Acc 13.1970.
Four probable Iron Age sherds and fragmentary animal bones found in orchard near Potterne cemetery. Acc 14.1970.
Presented to museum by J Holloway. (7)
ST 99585907; ST 99505905 Potterne cemetery. Iron Age pottery, including haematite ware, and loomweight found.
Accs 38-9. 1971. (8)
No indications of settlement. (9)
The discovery of a gold bracelet whilst grave-digging in 1982 prompted exploratory excavations at Blackberry Field, Potterne. The site, a civic graveyard, was formerly allotments, and numerous finds have been recorded over the years. The excavations revealed the presence of an extensive midden deposit at least 5 hectares in extent and 1m-2m deep. The midden comprises pottery, animal bone, coprolites, worked bone and antler, bronze metalwork, human remains, flint, and numerous other artefact types overlying a surface containing numerous pits, post holes and other features. Almost all the artefactual material belongs to the early 1st millennium BC. The area excavated, in total c20m x 10m, yielded some 125000 potsherds, plus 177 bronze artefacts including awls, tweezers and numerous sheet bronze fragments from vessels (mostly bowls). Worked bone and antler objects include pins, awls, combs, and a cheek-piece. Also present were amber and glass beads, plus fragments of shale bracelets and possibly cups. An archaeomagnetic date of 750 BC (no error range or lab number given) was obtained from material relating to the pre-midden occupation features, while the pottery assemblage probably spans the period c1000 - 700BC. (10-12) |