Monument record MDO37215 - Iron Age 'Durotrigian' burial (7124) 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 crouched burial of a young adult, whose sex could not be determined.

The grave was at the western edge of the settlement, in a position that would have corresponded with the back wall of circular structure (7668). The grave cut was 0.85m long, 0.65m wide, and 0.28m deep, and aligned ENE-WSW with the head facing east. The skeleton was crouched tightly, and was that of a young adult of uncertain sex. Examination of the bones revealed evidence of possible dietary deficiency and dental plaque. The grave filling was redeposited natural soil, clayey and sparsely flecked with charcoal. A small shallow pit at the foot end may have held a timber post or stone upright to mark the grave. No grave goods were found, but this may have been due to truncation of the grave by later activity. {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, 184-186 (Monograph). SDO14013.

Record last edited

Jun 29 2015 11:08AM