More information : SU 408968412] TUMULUS [G.T.]. (1)
A tumulus near Pewit Farm, Lockinge, which is encroached upon
the south by the Ridgeway, was excavated by Stuart Piggott in
1938.
The barrow, more than half of which had been removed to within
a foot of the surface by the farmer, was found to be of
bell-type with the mound c. 44 ft. in diam. and the ditch c. 90
ft. in diameter.
Early-Middle Bronze Age sherds were found in the mound some
being of such a nature as to suggest that they were scooped-up
material from a hut floor or occupation site and not purely
funerary. There was a central oval grave, 5 by 3 by 3 feet
deep, which appears to have been plank-lined, and which
contained a cremation accompanied by a bronze awl and bronze
rivetted dagger which suggest transitional Early-Mid Bronze Age
date.
A number of sherds of Late Bronze or Early Iron Age type and
one Romano-British sherd were recovered from the ditch filling. (2)
This very mutilated barrow has a maximum height of 1.6m. There
are no surface indications of either berm or ditch.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
The sherds from this excavation are in Newbury Museum (Acc.
1938-256). The awl and dagger are neither in Newbury nor
Reading Museum. (3)
In 1938 the bronze awl that was formed by Stuart Piggott has traces of a handle and the bronze dagger showed vestiges of its wrapping of cloth and bark. (4)
The Bronze Age bell barrow, described by the previous authorities, is visible as a truncated mound and has been mapped from aerial photographs. (4) |