Monument record MDO37212 - Iron Age 'Durotrigian' burial (7003) on Southdown Ridge, Weymouth

An uncoffined inhumation burial recorded during excavations in 2008-2009 in advance of construction of the Weymouth Relief Road, one of nineteen excavated in the area of an Iron Age settlement. The burial of an adult male, badly disturbed by ploughing.

The partial and disarticulated remains of a skeleton disturbed by ploughing, and with no visible grave cut. No skull was recovered, but the skeleton was that of an adult male between 26 and 35 years old, and around six feet tall. Examination of the bones revealed evidence of osteoarthritis in the right hand and spine, and spinal disc disease. A piece of decorated shale bracelet was found in the filling of the grave; possibly unfinished, it may have been worn by the man, but might also have been displaced by later disturbance. Several bones of cattle, sheep/goat and pig were found, and may have been food offerings. {1}

<1> Brown, L, Hayden, C and Score, D, 2014, 'Down to Weymouth town by Ridgeway'. Prehistoric, Roman and later sites along the Weymouth Relief Road (Monograph). SDO14013.

Record last edited

Jun 29 2015 11:04AM