Monument record 8105/0/2 - Middle Bronze Age burnt deposits

A ditch and adjacent pit containing burnt stone and charred residues, smaller pits packed with burnt stone

{1} At least four discrete positive anomalies were identified. They have similar widths, approx 3m, and range in length from approx 5-9m. An archaeological origin should be considered although it cannot be confidently determined from the morphology of the anomalies. The anomalies appear sub-rounded or vaguely sub-rectangular with rounded ends.

{2} A gully, ditch and two pits were seen in Trench 2. Gully 212 lay on an east-west alignment; it contained no finds. Immediately north was ditch 213 which showed signs of slumping or tipping from the southern edge of the ditch. No finds were recovered. Further north was pit 210 which measured 0.95m in diameter and 0.72m in depth. It contained 41 burnt animal bones including cattle and had noticable scorching around its edges. Another pit of similar size was recorded in plan alongside pit 210 but was not excavated.

{3} Area 1 contained a water channel with adjacent pit, filled with burnt stone and charcoal rich deposits, and other smaller pits packed with burnt stone lay nearby. The principal fills of the main charcoal deposit were radiocarbon dated to 1410-1220 cal BC (95% confidence, 3050±30BP, Beta 321924) and 1370-1130 cal BC (95% confidence, 3000±30BP, Beta 321925). The fire-cracked stone in the principal pit, the water channel and the smaller pits perhaps indicate a process involving the use of stone to heat large amounts of water. The significant observation is the form of technology used, since the precise function is not known and the interpretation of large deposits of burnt stone is problematic. Deposits like these are thought to be created when cool due to a paucity of evidence for heating in situ, suggesting their deposition was separate to their heating and use. Deposits simialr to this in morphology and date are often interpreted as 'burnt mounds'. At Belle Baulk there was no evidence for a mound and the deposit was limited in extent purely within the fill of the features. There was no spread of material, and no indication that the fill was used along the whole of the water channel as part of its reinstatement. Preservation was good, so it would seem that mound material had not
been lost due to truncation.

<1> Sabin, D. & Donaldson, K., 2010, Belle Baulk, Towcester, Northamptonshire: Magnetometer Survey Report, pp.9,10 (checked) (Report). SNN107330.

<2> Havard T., 2010, Belle Baulk, Towcester, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation, p.8-9 (checked) (Report). SNN108051.

<3> Brown J., 2012, Archaeological Excavations at Belle Baulk, Towcester, Northamptonshire July 2013 (revision) (Report). SNN109084.

Record last edited

Sep 21 2021 3:09PM