Description

Summary: 1 Bronze Age bead made from a fossil encrinite, from Manton Barrow, Preshute, Wiltshire.

Research results

A Bronze Age bead formed from one ossicle of an encrinite fossil, found with the primary inhumation of bowl barrow Preshute G1a when it was excavated by Howard Cunnington in 1907. The wealthy grave belonged to an elderly woman who had been buried with a number of grave goods - this bead was one of a number of beads and pendants found in a 'small heap' behind and above the head of the burial, probably originally an elaborate composite necklace.

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.