| Summary : `Lexden Tumulus' is an Iron Age barrow located in a prominent location overlooking the valley of the River Colne to the north. It is situated inside an extensive late Iron Age settlement surrounding modern Colchester, which is known as the oppidum of Camulodunum. The barrow is circular in plan and is about 1.5m high and 38m by 35m wide. A ditch was also revealed to the north east and south west of the barrow which may have encircled it. The most probable date of the burial, based on analysis of the grave goods is around 15-10 BC.Round Iron Age barrows are unusual, as this type of barrow is normally associated with earlier Bronze Age burials or with later Roman ones. Lexden Tumulus has been interpreted by some as originating in the Bronze Age and being reused in the Iron Age. The barrow was excavated in 1924 by P G and H E Laver, who revealed one of the richest Iron Age burials ever discovered in Britain. The main burial was positioned in a central pit which may have contained a timber chamber. The deceased's remains had been cremated and were buried with a large number of rich grave goods including domestic and personal goods. These included a number of imported objects from the Mediterranean including amphorae and figurines. A Bronze Age axehead was found, which may have been an heirloom or cult object. One of the most important finds in terms of dating was a silver medallion, created from a cast of a coin of the Emperor Augustus. This coin can be dated to the period 18-16 BC. The rich grave goods and unusual barrow construction indicates that the deceased would have been a person of some standing and power. It has been suggested that he may have been Addedomaros, a king of the Trinovantes tribe who at that time, controlled the local territory. |
More information : TL 97532472. Tumulus (NR). (1) A round barrow 9 feet high and 100 feet diameter, excavated by the Lavers in 1924 (see plans). It was surrounded by a ditch 2 1/2 to 3 feet deep and a grave was found just west of centre, dug 7 feet beneath the old ground surface. It had previously been disturbed but contained a rich burial group dated between 17 BC and 43 AD.
Grave goods included traces of very find gold, a coin of Augustus (17 BC) mounted as a portrait medallion in silver, chain mail and silver studs, iron swords, a number of bronzes including a boar and a griffin, enamelled discs, remains of a "funeral carriage" including a linch pin and a number of amphorae. The only actual evidence of interment were some small fragments from a cremation. A fragmentary bronze palstave apparently a votive object was also included. Hawkes considered that the pottery was only just pre-Roman and the sculptures were comparable with Cunobelin's coinage. He suggested that "the deceased who had been cremated with ritual mutilation of the grave goods ......may well have been Cunobelin himself, or at least one of his family." Recent excavation produced evidence to suggest the barrow was originally Bronze Age, that the principal grave was to be dated about AD 10 or earlier, and there were later secondary burials. Peacock dates it within the last 15 years BC. (2-7)
Scheduled. The summary of this record has been produced using information from the designated record. For the full designated record please see The National Heritage List for England. (8-9) |