Description

Summary: 1 spherical gold pendant with one hole in its side, decorated with an engraved band of two parallel lines around the centre where the two halves were fastened together, found with a primary inhumation in Bowl Barrow Wilsford G7, excavated by William Cunnington

Research results

A spherical pendant found with a primary inhumation in Bowl Barrow Wilsford G7, excavated by William Cunnington in the early 19th century. The pendant consists of a gold cover around a core of what is probably shale or jet, with a v-perforation flanking the join to allow for suspension. The pendant was buried with an individual placed with their head to the west and with a collared urn at their feet. In addition, a number of other pendants and an insence cup were also found. The grave goods come from a variety of sources and show varying degrees of wear. They may have been accumulated piecemeal over time and some may even have been heirlooms by the time of their deposion.

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.