Dartmoor Burial Treasures

[Eldorado]

"Bronze Age beads that are worth their weight in gold: 4,000-year-old burial chest unearthed on Dartmoor 'one of most significant historical finds in a century'.

• The amber beads were found in a burial chest on Dartmoor National Park
  
• Experts say they are up there with the most important finds in 100 years
  
• The chest full of bones, teeth, textiles and jewellery preserved in peat."
  

Source:

http://www.dailymail...ds-century.html

Short video available here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk...-devon-21442474

It must be a great feeling, to make such a find.

Edited February 19, 2013 by Eldorado

[Keel M.]

I agree El. What a marvelous discovery made.

[freetoroam]

Boots, change of clothes, shovel and a big bag. Right see you later folks, I`m off to Dartmoor.

Would love to find something like that, but would not sell it.......well not all of it anyway.

[Keel M.]

I didn't think it was a matter of buying or selling anything.

[Taun]

That would place it at about 2,000 BC ... which culture was in place at that time?... The Beaker culture?...

Really cool find, although we already knew there was extensive trade by then, it is always good to find reinforcing evidence...

[Eldorado]

That would place it at about 2,000 BC ... which culture was in place at that time?... The Beaker culture?...

Really cool find, although we already knew there was extensive trade by then, it is always good to find reinforcing evidence...

I believe so, Taun.

"So, as noted above the first signature (so far) of the beaker culture appearing in the archaeological record was between 2800 - 2700 BC. It is widely suggested that the first beaker signature appeared in the British Isles around 2500BC which means that it took roughly one hundred years to reach our shores. It must be remembered that on it's arrival the indigenous population did not simply adopt these new technologies and beliefs overnight. It was a gradual process that due to contact distances, maybe even reluctance took time.

Now let's drill down to a more specific and relevant (to this website) area, that of Dartmoor, what would possibly have happened? Firstly there was a local population of various communities who were using flint tools and weapons and also burying their dead in communal chambered tombs. One day a group of immigrants, perhaps itinerant craftsmen or maybe traders travelled from Europe or other areas of the British Isles and appeared on Dartmoor. With them they had the 'Beaker Package' of skills which took the fancy of the locals. Now whether these immigrants/traders/craftsmen settled on the moor or temporarily stayed for a period we know not. However, what we can be sure of is that their ideas, skills and beliefs were slowly adopted and today show up as a signature in Dartmoor's archaeological record. Whereas before the only use of pottery was for domestic purposes there was a gradual shift to additionally using ceramics as grave goods the the form of beakers. Similarly there is a marked change from communal burials to single internments (in crouched positions) that were placed in kists or pits which lay under round barrows or cairns."

Source: http://www.legendary.../beaker_pot.htm

Edited February 19, 2013 by Eldorado

[freetoroam]

I didn't think it was a matter of buying or selling anything.

It was a joke. but anyway!

The archaeologists, who were funded by English Heritage, had simply hoped that the chest would offer some clues about the environment of times past.

‘There were a number of amber beads which probably came from the Baltic - and that must have meant they were doing long-distance trading 4,000 years ago

As for the human remains, they really should remain where they are found, but then this is open to questioning as should the human remains be reburied without the jewellery and bits they were buried with?

This is an amazing find and is a great insight into the environment at the time.

We already know we were trading for many years and that Neolithic farmers had already come here to settle 4,000 bc, but it just shows a bit more about our history.

Edited February 19, 2013 by freetoroam

[TheLastLazyGun]

The best archaeological discoveries on Dartmoor are the Bronze Age villages. The biggest of these is Grimspound. The village measures 145 yards by 170 yards. In total there are around 5,000 hut circles scattered across the 368 square miles of Dartmoor. Grimspound was built around 1,000BC. You can walk around the remains of the village and try to imagine what daily life would have been like in the village all those years ago.

Edited February 23, 2013 by TheLastLazyGun