Description

Summary: 2 fragments of a bone pommel with bronze rivets, found with a primary cremation placed in a wooden box covered in clay in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G4, excavated by William Cunnington

Research results

An incomplete Bronze Age bone pommel excavated by William Cunnington from bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G4. Found with the primary cremation, which had been deposited in a wooden box, potentially with copper alloy fittings, it was found alongside two daggers (dating to c. 1750-1500 BC) a pair of bone 'tweezers' and a lost bone pin. The four-part constuction of the pommel is highly unusual, with pommels in this period normally made of a single, socketed piece of bone. Originally, the pommel may have comprised of two separate materials.

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.