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The pieces are thought to be the most significant group of
prehistoric finds ever recovered from Dartmoor and their sheer
existence is of international importance.
“The excavation of the Whitehorse Hill burial cist has produced the
most important assemblage of grave goods ever found on Dartmoor. A
rare human dimension is added to this 4000 year old burial by the
extraordinary range of personal possessions which accompanied the
burial,” Jane Marchand, Senior Archaeologist, Dartmoor National
Park Authority noted.
The cist was the burial location of the cremated remains of a
person aged between 15-25 years old. The person died nearly four
thousand years ago and their remains were swathed in animal hide
and buried along with a number of items.
The items include a delicately woven wrist or arm band
distinctively studded with tin beads, a basket which has been used
as the source for a replica at Stonehenge and a collection of over
200 beads some made from amber and some from shale along with four
wooden studs used as decoration for the ears and lips.
The items give a glimpse into the lives of those who lived during
the Bronze Age.
Alastair Martin, Secretary and Keeper of Records at the Duchy,
commented: “We are delighted to be able to support this project and
the conservation of these tremendously significant finds through
their gift to Plymouth Museum.”
Beads and ear studs unearthed from the site.
The artefacts were discovered during the first major archaeological excavation of a burial site on Dartmoor for 100 years. The area was found 10 years ago when a stone fell out of the cist that was obscured by a mound of peat.
Remains of a basket from the site.
“It’s a great privilege for the Museum and Art Gallery to accept them and be trusted with their duty of care. We do so with great thanks to His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall,” Peter Smith, Deputy Leader, Plymouth Council, commented in regards to the donation.
Photo Credits: Dartmoor National Park Authority]]>
