Monument record MDO18538 - Alington Avenue Durotrigian Grave 3238

Evidence for a Durotrigian grave, was discovered during excavations at Alington Avenue. Grave 3238, containing burial 823, was located along the south edge of the main excavation area, close to and east of the double ring ditch 2300. The grave was 1.80m long, 0.80m wide, 0.60m deep, regular, sub-rectangular with the NW corner neatly trimmed off. The burial was that of a male aged 45+ crouched on his back, with legs to the right. The left arm lay over the waist, the right arm by the side and the head was to the south east. Grave goods comprised hobnails, bird bones over the pelvis and animal bones at the feet.

Found during a series of archaeological evaluations and excavations conducted by Wessex Archaeology at Alington Avenue, Fordington, Dorchester, between 1984-1987. The results of the excavations have been published as a Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Monograph (DNHAS Monograph 15). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published reports (1).

Nine crouched inhumation burials were found, in simple sub-rectangular graves cut into the chalk. Three similar burials were excavated nearby at Trumpet Major 1. In total one was a juvenile, five were adult females and six adult males. There was no obvious focal point in the distribution of the graves, the largest cluster being three immediately east of the double ring ditch [2300]. It may be significant however that all the Alington Avenue burials lay outside the earliest, phase 1, layout of the D-shaped enclosure. The preference was for the bodies to be laid on their right sides with their heads to the NE-SE. Grave goods comprising pottery vessels, personal ornaments or animal bones, presumably food offerings accompanied seven of the twelve burials. Two burials were also found with hobnails suggesting that the local population were wearing Roman style footwear at a fairly early stage. The personal ornaments were only found with female burials. The dating of this group of burials is dependent on the grave goods, and also on parallels with other sites in the locality. It is likely that the range lies between 50/75 AD to 125 AD. There have been other probable Late Iron Age burials found in the immediate vicinity (at Wareham House, Flagstones, Max Gate and Came View) so that the Alington Avenue burials probably form part of a larger cemetery.

Grave 3238, containing burial 823, was located along the south edge of the main excavation area, close to and east of the double ring ditch 2300. The grave was 1.80m long, 0.80m wide, 0.60m deep, regular, sub-rectangular with the NW corner neatly trimmed off. The burial was that of a male aged 45+ crouched on his back, with legs to the right. The left arm lay over the waist, the right arm by the side and the head was to the south east. Grave goods comprised hobnails, bird bones over the pelvis and animal bones at the feet.

<1> Davies, S M, Bellamy, P S , Heaton, M J , and Woodward, P J, 2002, Excavations at Alington Avenue, Fordington, Dorchester, Dorset, 1984-87 (Monograph). SDO9565.

Record last edited

Jan 10 2007 2:26AM