Description

Summary: 1 bone toggle bead found with a primary male and female (shaman/metalworker?) inhumation in bowl barrow Upton Lovell G2a, excavated by William Cunnington

Research results

A Bronze Age bone cylindrical bead, found with a primary double inhumation in bowl barrow Upton Lovell G2a, excavated by William Cunnington in 1801. The bead is made from the shaft of a sheep metatarsal, and may be associated with three jet fusiform beads from the same grave, forming one part of an incomplete composite necklace.

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.