Normanton Down Barrows
Encyclopedia
Normanton Down is a Neolithic
and Bronze Age
barrow
cemetery located south of Stonehenge
in the county of Wiltshire
, England
. It dates from between 2600 and 1600 BC and consists of a Neolithic long barrow
and Bronze Age round barrows.
, have been a part of the scenery of the Salisbury Plain since 2000 BC. In 1808, William Cunnington
and Sir Richard Colt Hoare excavated the most famous and important barrow, the Bush Barrow
. Cunnington also noted four sets of “curiously huddled together” human remains in the east end of the Long Barrow. South of the long barrow lies a mortuary enclosure. The structure was discovered by aerial photography and later excavated. It was used for storing corpses before burial and carried distinct Neolithic characteristics. Barrow excavation was a popular hobby in the 18th and 19th centuries among the local parsons and squires, who were driven by the desire for decorative objects. They became known as the “barrow-diggers.” In 2007, researchers from the University of Birmingham
, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, began intensive studies of the artifacts found in all British Bronze Age burials, including those at Bush Barrow.
The early part of the Bronze Age was marked by Beaker burials, characteristic of the Beaker people. The Beaker graves contained various funerary goods and were usually covered by round barrows; however, most of these barrows did not survive, making the graves hard to locate. It is assumed that these Beaker burials are located mostly to the west, in areas marked by older long or oval barrows. Also, mounds were later erected over some of the preexisting Beaker graves, enabling early excavators to locate them.
Later, the layout of the cemetery changed dramatically. The Normanton “linear” cemetery emerged along the main ridge, with three foci marking the landscape in a relatively straight line. Even though it is very likely that each focus was previously a Beaker grave, there is a clear tendency towards building sizable mounds. Grave clustering seems to be present to some extent, especially in one of the Beaker burials and in the Bush Barrow.
Although most of the barrows were constructed by the end of the Early Bronze Age, a significant change appears in the middle of the Bronze Age. Burials involving Deverel-Rimbury urns of middle Bronze Age manufacture are present in clusters of small mounds. In the same time period, the predominant site of burials shifted from Normanton Down to the west fields. This shift is suggested by settlement evidence and a remarkable feature known as a Wilsford shaft, used either as a well or a ritual shaft.
The most famous burial mound at Normanton Down is called Bush Barrow
and is 40m wide and 3m high. The name “Bush Barrow” was given to this archaeological site in the 1720s by William Stukeley
because of the trees planted on the top. It was previously known as “the green barrow” for the same reason. It was excavated in 1808 by William Cunnington
and Sir Richard Colt-Hoare, who found multiple artifacts inside the mound.
Cunnington wrote a detailed account of the discovery of a body and artifacts surrounding it in the barrow. He described that the head of the grave was at the south and the body was positioned on the floor rather than in a pit, which was considered unusual. In the account, Cunnington described pieces of brass and wood that are now believed to be the remains of a rare type of dagger or knife. One of the most prominent artifacts found at Bush Barrow
was a “lozenge” –shaped piece of gold. These items along with a spearhead and set of bronze rivets suggest that the individual buried at Bush Barrow may have been a wealthy, influential man, perhaps a chief. The finds have been called "Britain's first Crown Jewels" belonging to the "king of Stonehenge". Modern reconstructions have led to the conclusion that the artifacts were arranged closely around the body.
Below is an extract from Cunnington's account:
" On reaching the floor of the barrow, we discovered the skeleton of a stout and tall man lying from south to north: the extreme length of his thigh bone was 20 inches. About 18 inches south of the head we found several brass (i. e. bronze) rivets intermixed with wood and some thin bits of brass nearly decomposed. These articles covered a space of 12 inches or more; it is probable therefore that they were the mouldered remains of a shield. Near the right arm was a large dagger of brass and a spearhead of the same material, full 13 inches long, and the largest we have ever found.
Immediately over the breast of the skeleton was a large plate of gold, in the form of a lozenge and measuring 7 inches by 6 inches. The even surface of this noble ornament is relieved by indented lines, checks and zigzags, forming the shape of the outline, and forming lozenge within lozenge, diminishing gradually towards the centre. We next discovered, on the right side of the skeleton, a very curious perforated stone, some wrought articles of bone, many small rings of the same material and another lozenge of gold. As this stone bears no marks of wear or attrition, I can hardly consider it to have been used as a domestic implement, and from the circumstances of it being composed of a mass of seaworms or little serpents, I think we may not be too fanciful in considering it an article of consequence."
The finds from Bush Barrow are now displayed at the Wiltshire Heritage Museum
in Devizes
, which preserves the manuscript notes made by Cunnington and the drawings made by Philip Crocker.
In addition, the location of Normanton Down as a whole suggests a special burial site. It was laid out with clear and commanding views of Stonehenge and other ridge tops in every direction (except the northwest), and it is crossed by the same solstitial axis that passes through Stonehenge. Further study of Normanton Down has revealed an absence of flint-working on the site relative to its immediately surrounding areas. It seems the location was set apart from everyday activities and most likely carried special significance.
Compared to other similar cemeteries, the Normanton Down location contains an uncommonly high number of disc barrow
s in addition to several bell barrow
s and one saucer barrow.
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
and Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
barrow
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
cemetery located south of Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
in the county of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It dates from between 2600 and 1600 BC and consists of a Neolithic long barrow
Long barrow
A long barrow is a prehistoric monument dating to the early Neolithic period. They are rectangular or trapezoidal tumuli or earth mounds traditionally interpreted as collective tombs...
and Bronze Age round barrows.
Excavations
The barrows of Normanton Down, panning across the southern horizon of StonehengeStonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
, have been a part of the scenery of the Salisbury Plain since 2000 BC. In 1808, William Cunnington
William Cunnington
William Cunnington was a pioneering English antiquarian and archaeologist of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. His work centred on excavating the barrows of Salisbury Plain. The first recorded excavations at Stonehenge were done by William Cunnington & Richard Colt Hoare in 1798...
and Sir Richard Colt Hoare excavated the most famous and important barrow, the Bush Barrow
Bush Barrow
Bush Barrow is a site of the early British Bronze Age , at the western end of the Normanton Down Barrows cemetery. It is among the most important sites of the Stonehenge complex. It was excavated in 1808 by Sir Richard Colt Hoare and William Cunnington...
. Cunnington also noted four sets of “curiously huddled together” human remains in the east end of the Long Barrow. South of the long barrow lies a mortuary enclosure. The structure was discovered by aerial photography and later excavated. It was used for storing corpses before burial and carried distinct Neolithic characteristics. Barrow excavation was a popular hobby in the 18th and 19th centuries among the local parsons and squires, who were driven by the desire for decorative objects. They became known as the “barrow-diggers.” In 2007, researchers from the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, began intensive studies of the artifacts found in all British Bronze Age burials, including those at Bush Barrow.
Development of the site
The Normanton Down site reveals the development of an entire Bronze Age cemetery. The 24 (actually over 50 ) barrows appeared gradually throughout the Bronze Age. Multiple graves all covered by a single barrow are characteristic of the area.The early part of the Bronze Age was marked by Beaker burials, characteristic of the Beaker people. The Beaker graves contained various funerary goods and were usually covered by round barrows; however, most of these barrows did not survive, making the graves hard to locate. It is assumed that these Beaker burials are located mostly to the west, in areas marked by older long or oval barrows. Also, mounds were later erected over some of the preexisting Beaker graves, enabling early excavators to locate them.
Later, the layout of the cemetery changed dramatically. The Normanton “linear” cemetery emerged along the main ridge, with three foci marking the landscape in a relatively straight line. Even though it is very likely that each focus was previously a Beaker grave, there is a clear tendency towards building sizable mounds. Grave clustering seems to be present to some extent, especially in one of the Beaker burials and in the Bush Barrow.
Although most of the barrows were constructed by the end of the Early Bronze Age, a significant change appears in the middle of the Bronze Age. Burials involving Deverel-Rimbury urns of middle Bronze Age manufacture are present in clusters of small mounds. In the same time period, the predominant site of burials shifted from Normanton Down to the west fields. This shift is suggested by settlement evidence and a remarkable feature known as a Wilsford shaft, used either as a well or a ritual shaft.
Bush Barrow
Bush Barrow
Bush Barrow is a site of the early British Bronze Age , at the western end of the Normanton Down Barrows cemetery. It is among the most important sites of the Stonehenge complex. It was excavated in 1808 by Sir Richard Colt Hoare and William Cunnington...
and is 40m wide and 3m high. The name “Bush Barrow” was given to this archaeological site in the 1720s by William Stukeley
William Stukeley
William Stukeley FRS, FRCP, FSA was an English antiquarian who pioneered the archaeological investigation of the prehistoric monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury, work for which he has been remembered as "probably... the most important of the early forerunners of the discipline of archaeology"...
because of the trees planted on the top. It was previously known as “the green barrow” for the same reason. It was excavated in 1808 by William Cunnington
William Cunnington
William Cunnington was a pioneering English antiquarian and archaeologist of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. His work centred on excavating the barrows of Salisbury Plain. The first recorded excavations at Stonehenge were done by William Cunnington & Richard Colt Hoare in 1798...
and Sir Richard Colt-Hoare, who found multiple artifacts inside the mound.
Cunnington wrote a detailed account of the discovery of a body and artifacts surrounding it in the barrow. He described that the head of the grave was at the south and the body was positioned on the floor rather than in a pit, which was considered unusual. In the account, Cunnington described pieces of brass and wood that are now believed to be the remains of a rare type of dagger or knife. One of the most prominent artifacts found at Bush Barrow
Bush Barrow
Bush Barrow is a site of the early British Bronze Age , at the western end of the Normanton Down Barrows cemetery. It is among the most important sites of the Stonehenge complex. It was excavated in 1808 by Sir Richard Colt Hoare and William Cunnington...
was a “lozenge” –shaped piece of gold. These items along with a spearhead and set of bronze rivets suggest that the individual buried at Bush Barrow may have been a wealthy, influential man, perhaps a chief. The finds have been called "Britain's first Crown Jewels" belonging to the "king of Stonehenge". Modern reconstructions have led to the conclusion that the artifacts were arranged closely around the body.
Below is an extract from Cunnington's account:
" On reaching the floor of the barrow, we discovered the skeleton of a stout and tall man lying from south to north: the extreme length of his thigh bone was 20 inches. About 18 inches south of the head we found several brass (i. e. bronze) rivets intermixed with wood and some thin bits of brass nearly decomposed. These articles covered a space of 12 inches or more; it is probable therefore that they were the mouldered remains of a shield. Near the right arm was a large dagger of brass and a spearhead of the same material, full 13 inches long, and the largest we have ever found.
Immediately over the breast of the skeleton was a large plate of gold, in the form of a lozenge and measuring 7 inches by 6 inches. The even surface of this noble ornament is relieved by indented lines, checks and zigzags, forming the shape of the outline, and forming lozenge within lozenge, diminishing gradually towards the centre. We next discovered, on the right side of the skeleton, a very curious perforated stone, some wrought articles of bone, many small rings of the same material and another lozenge of gold. As this stone bears no marks of wear or attrition, I can hardly consider it to have been used as a domestic implement, and from the circumstances of it being composed of a mass of seaworms or little serpents, I think we may not be too fanciful in considering it an article of consequence."
The finds from Bush Barrow are now displayed at the Wiltshire Heritage Museum
Wiltshire Heritage Museum
The Wiltshire Heritage Museum, formerly known as Devizes Museum, is a museum, archive and library and art gallery in Devizes, Wiltshire, England. The museum was established and is still run by, the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society , a registered charity founded in 1853. After...
in Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, which preserves the manuscript notes made by Cunnington and the drawings made by Philip Crocker.
Significance
The type and quantity of grave goods found at Normanton Down suggest it was a burial place for people of high social status. Lavish burial configurations have also been identified. For example, the senior males found buried with daggers were originally placed in the grave lying on their left side. These males were most likely community leaders who toted daggers in their daily lives.In addition, the location of Normanton Down as a whole suggests a special burial site. It was laid out with clear and commanding views of Stonehenge and other ridge tops in every direction (except the northwest), and it is crossed by the same solstitial axis that passes through Stonehenge. Further study of Normanton Down has revealed an absence of flint-working on the site relative to its immediately surrounding areas. It seems the location was set apart from everyday activities and most likely carried special significance.
Compared to other similar cemeteries, the Normanton Down location contains an uncommonly high number of disc barrow
Disc barrow
A disc barrow is a type of tumulus or round barrow, a variety of fancy barrow identified in English Heritage's Monument Class Descriptions.A disc barrow comprises a circular or oval-shaped flat platform, defined by a continuous earthen bank and inner ditch; sometimes the platform is raised above...
s in addition to several bell barrow
Bell barrow
A bell barrow, sometimes referred to as a Wessex type barrow, campanulate form barrow, or a bermed barrow is a type of tumulus identified as such by both John Aubrey and William Stukeley....
s and one saucer barrow.