Description

Summary: 1 bronze awl with a square tang, found with a secondary (?) cremation in bowl barrow Upton Lovell G2e, excavated by William Cunnington

Research results

A Bronze Age copper alloy awl excavated in association with a probable secondary cremation below the 'Golden Barrow' (Upton Lovell G2e) by William Cunnington. Awls are tools typically used in leather and woodworking, mostly for punching holes. This awl is double pointed with a square cross section, and is exceptionally long. These unusually large awls are typically found in 'Wessex' series graves, dating to after c. 2000 BC.

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.