Description

Summary: 1 jet button, convex on one side and v-perforated on the flat side, found with a primary crouched inhumation in bowl barrow Wimborne St. Giles G9, excavated by William Cunnington

Research results

A Bronze Age jet button excavated by William Cunnington from the bowl barrow Wimborne St Giles G9, in Dorset. Found with the primary couched inhumation alongside a dagger of an early form, a shale belt ring and an awl. The jet used to make this button probably came from Whitby, in Yorkshire and was highly polished, subsequent forms of button that are found in the Wessex region start to be made of more local kimmeridge shale.

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.