Description

Summary: A Boar tusk probably from Upton Lovell, probably excavated by William Cunnington.

Research results

A Bronze Age boar's tusk probably excavated by William Cunnington in Upton Lovell, from an uncertain barrow. Boar's tusks are found in burials from the Early Neolithic through to the Early Bronze Age and many appear to have been old at the time of deposition, suggesting that they were curated and may have had special symbolic connotations.

This object was examined as part of the research published in Ritual in Early Bronze Age Grave Goods; a six-year research project carried out by Professor John Hunter and Dr Anne Woodward and funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Aided by a large number of other specialists the pair undertood an exhuastive study examining over 1000 objects held in 13 museums across the country in order to provide an extensive overview of burial practices in the period and identify regional practices.