Description

Summary: 1 bone pin or rough needle, with perforated eye, found in bowl barrow Wilsford G37, excavated by William Cunnington. Not mentioned by RCH and attributed to Amesbury Park by Woodward and Hunter.

Research results

A Bronze Age bone point, probably found in a barrow at Amesbury park, possibly alongside a dagger and awl. Such points may have been sewn onto garments forming decorative hems and collars, as appears to have been the case with a large collection from Wilsford G2a, 'The Shaman Burial'.

This object was examined as part of the research published in Ritual in Early Bronze Age Grave Goods; a six-year research project carried out by Professor John Hunter and Dr Anne Woodward and funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Aided by a large number of other specialists the pair undertood an exhuastive study examining over 1000 objects held in 13 museums across the country in order to provide an extensive overview of burial practices in the period and identify regional practices.