Description

Summary: 2 v-perforated shale buttons - 1 conical of shale and 1 rounded button of jet (that may be from Woodyates H9), locality unknown.

Research results

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.

Two Bronze age buttons purchased as part of the Stourhead collection in 1883 and probably excavated by William Cunnington. One button, the conical one, is made of local kimmeridge shale, whilst the more rounded button is of Whitby jet, and was probably produced in the North.