Description

Summary: 1 bronze bracelet with five pairs of parallel grooves separated by vertical lines in bands, found with a primary inhumation in the bowl barrow, Amesbury G41, excavated by William Cunnington

Research results

A Bronze Age copper alloy armlet found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Amesbury G41, excavated by William Cunnington in the early 19th century. This barrow contained four primary inhumations, two adults and two children, with the armlet found around the wrist of one of the latter. It was unfortuately broken when one of Cunnington's workmen stood on it, and had been deposited complete. Flat penannular armlets such as this are mostly found in southern and central England, and are probably some of the earliest types in the country. The group as a whole can be dated to c. 2200-1700 BC.

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.