Document record MAB61513 - BOYSACK MILLS

Site of a Beaker burial.

Site of a Beaker burial. Discovered during gravel quarrying in June 1978, the cist was exposed high in the quarry face. The accompanying Beaker had been removed by the quarry operative who discovered the burial. LM Thoms inspected the site and salvaged the bones whilst hoisted up to the site by standing in the excavator bucket. The skeleton lay in a crouched position, facing south and with the head to the west. The Beaker had been found behind the skull. A possible capstone, 1.1m long and 0.17m thick, was recorded above the skeleton, but due to the circumstances it was impossible to determine whether the burial was within a cist or simply within a pit. However, the positioning of the body is classic for Beaker females and similar Beaker burials within a simple earth-dug grave, often within ring-ditches, makes the latter form of burial more likely. The Beaker is well-made and well-preserved. It has an omphalos on the inside of the base and its dimensions are : 12cm high and 11cm wide at the belly. It is decorated with comb impressions. The skeleton was of a female, aged between 25-30. A ring-headed pin of a type typical to the 1st to 3rd centuries AD as also recovered.

Period Notes
BM-2513 3460+/-50 (1920 to 1630 Cal Bc)

WINLOW, S, 2010, TWO NEW DATES FROM TWO OLD INVESTIGATIONS: A RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WOMEN'S KNOWE AND KINGOODIE LONG CIST CEMETERY, p.50 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3427.

Record last edited

Jun 20 2023 10:24AM