Monument record MDO18539 - Alington Avenue Durotrigian Grave 3408

Evidence for a Durotrigian grave, was discovered during excavations at Alington Avenue. Grave 3408, containing burial 831, was located along the south edge of the main excavation area, close to and east of the double ring ditch 2300. The grave was 1.40m long, 0.66m wide, 0.30m deep, irregular and oblong. The burial was that of a female aged 35-45 contracted on her right side. The left arm was flexed in front of the torso, the right arm was flexed and resting on the right knee and the head was to the south east. Grave goods comprised domestic fowl bones behind the head. The grave was within the fills of ditch 3442.

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 3408, containing burial 831, was located along the south edge of the main excavation area, close to and east of the double ring ditch 2300. The grave was 1.40m long, 0.66m wide, 0.30m deep, irregular and oblong. The burial was that of a female aged 35-45 contracted on her right side. The left arm was flexed in front of the torso, the right arm was flexed and resting on the right knee and the head was to the south east. Grave goods comprised domestic fowl bones behind the head. The grave was within the fills of ditch 3442.

<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 2:31AM