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THE EXCAVATION OF TWO PREHISTORIC BURIAL MOUNDS AT
PANT Y BUTLER, LLANGOEDMOR, NEAR CARDIGAN
Two round barrows (burial mounds) lie on a ridge
at 130m above sea level. The barrows lie 50m apart. The northern
barrow (55928) is quite distinct, surviving up to 35m-45m in diameter
and 0.75m high, but the southern one (55929) has almost disappeared
and is approximately 30m diameter and just 0.2m high. Both are
regularly ploughed, with spreads of stone highlighting their positions.
A geophysical survey in 2008 detected a c.20m
diameter ditch around the northern barrow, as well possible pits
and graves and indications the mound may be of more than one phase
of construction. Only a hint of a ditch, c.11m diameter, was recorded
around the southern barrow, but a possible central grave was detected.
Several circular ditches to the north and west of the northern
barrow may be the remains of smaller, flattened burial mounds.
The intention in 2009 is to characterise the
archaeology of the two mounds and associated feature and assess
their potential. This will be done in late September with the
assistance of a group of enthusiastic local volunteers.
General Photo – Looking northeast with the southern
round barrow marked by a stone spread in the foreground.
A similar spread marks the e northern barrow in the middle
ground.
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Topographic survey with superimposed geophysical data
showing the location of the two round barrows and other
features
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Starting the first trench cutting over the larger barrow
Continuing excavation over the larger barrow
The trench cut to examine features detected in the geophysical
survey
The trench over the smaller barrow showing how little
of it survives
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Day 1 - 18 September 2009
Three trenches were opened. A cross trench
over the larger barrow (55928) showed that it may survive
up to 1m high and 25m diameter. The cross trench over the
smaller barrow (55929) revealed that little of it seemed
to survive, but that it may have a central stone-built cist.
A third trench was opened to examine possible features revealed
on the geophysical survey.
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Felicity and Vanessa cleaning the trench over the smaller
barrow
Hubert and Ann starting work on the trench over the larger
barrow
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Day 2 - 21 September 2009
About 10 local volunteers participated
on the first day of the excavation. The possible cist in
the smaller barrow was just loose stone – indeed all
the stone later forming this barrow had been disturbed by
ploughing and was removed down to the underlying buried
soil. Fragments of cremated bone were revealed during this
process. Cleaning of the trenches on the larger barrow started.
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The base of the smaller barrow survives in front of Will and
Felicity. Will is holding some of the cremated bone found
here.
Paul working on the trench across the centre of the smaller
barrow, with the buried soil beneath the former mound the
dark stain in the centre.
Hubert and Betty on the top of the larger mound. Note the
circular stone feature and the burnt plank.
Another view of the top of the larger mound.
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Day 3 - 22 September 2009
Remains of the base of the mound of the
smaller barrow was found to survive, but was very fragmentary.
A small spread of up-cast, shattered shale in the base of
the mound suggests that a burial pit may be found nearby.
More burnt bone confirmed a dispersed cremation in the mound.
Cleaning over the larger barrow revealed
a circular spread of stone – possibly a small cairn
built on the top of the mound – next to which was
a what appeared to be a carbonised plank in a long cist.
Excavation will continue on these tomorrow.
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The smaller barrow, showing how little of it survives
Will and Felicity removed the base of the smaller barrow
Martin cleaning the stone spread on the top of the larger
barrow
The stone spread on the top of the larger barrow
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Day 4 - 23 September 2009
This was a day of cleaning and photography
in preparation for excavation.
The remains of the mound of the small barrow
were planned and photographed and excavation of them started.
The stone spread on the top of the large
mound was cleaned and photographed. It will be planned tomorrow
and excavation of it started.
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Will excavating the central grave of the smaller barrow.
Tim excavating the cairn in the larger barrow.
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Day 5 – 24 September 2009
The central grave pit of the smaller barrow
was located, and excavation of it started. Burnt bone in
the upper fill of the pit indicates that a cremation had
been scattered over the top of the pit. Part of the pit
lies outside the excavation trench; topsoil over this area
will be removed tomorrow.
Excavation on the larger barrow showed
that the spread of stone on the surface is probably the
top of a cairn that was encased by the earthern barrow.
A lot of earth will have to be removed to reveal this cairn.
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Paul and Will extending the trench over the smaller barrow
to reveal the rest of the central grave.
The large barrow showing its extent after the removal of the
silty layer surrounding it. Tim, foreground, is at the base
of the barrow and Annie, middleground, on the top of the barrow.
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Day 6 - 25 September 2009
A possible cremation was found in the grave
pit of the smaller barrow. The pit was, however, much larger
than expected, and work started on extending the trench
to reveal its full extent.
On the larger barrow the earlier assumption
that the spread of stone was the top of a cairn was shown
to be incorrect, and that it is in fact the base of a cairn
built on top of the barrow. Removal of the earthern barrow
showed it to be made of turf and topsoil. What seems to
be a small standing stone has been encased in the barrow.
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Hubert cleaning over the exposed grave of the smaller
barrow.
Ruth and Silke removing the stone on the larger barrow.
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Day 7 – 27 September 2009
Sunday - a quiet day with just a few people
working on site. The grave in the smaller barrow was completely
exposed ready for excavation. On the large barrow the work
started on removing the stone spread on top of the barrow.
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Barry excavating the ditch containing the perforated stone.
A close up of the perforated stone.
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Day 8 – 28 September 2009
Work continued on excavating the grave
under the smaller barrow, with more bone and more sherds
of Bronze Age pottery found.
On the larger barrow work concentrated
on excavating a section through the mound to reveal the
prehistoric soil that survives beneath it. Two small ditches
were discovered outside the mound. It was not possible in
such a small trench to determine whether these are concentric
to the mound or not. A rounded, perforated stone was found
on the edge of one of these ditches.
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Felicity and Paul excavating the grave beneath the smaller
barrow.
The larger barrow showing the possible ditch beneath the prehistoric
soil.
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Day 9 – 29 September 2009
More cremated bone and sherds of Bronze
Age pottery were found during excavation of the upper fills
of the grave beneath the smaller barrow. At the end of the
day the primary cremation on the bottom of the pit was beginning
to be revealed.
On the larger barrow the prehistoric soil
beneath the barrow was removed revealing what seemed to
be two sides of a concentric ditch. This ditch lay beneath
both the prehistoric turf and soil, suggesting a considerable
time lapse between the silting of the ditches and the construction
of the barrow.
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The primary cremation beneath the smaller barrow.
Sikko, Annie and Sue excavating the larger barrow. Sikko is
excavating one of the ditches.
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Day 10 – 30 September 2009
The primary grave beneath the smaller barrow
was a simple cremation. The dense concentration of burnt
bone suggesting the cremation had been placed in a bag,
basket or box.
The apparently large ditches beneath the
larger barrow turned out to be just a few centimetres deep.
A possible small, charcoal filled pit was revealed beneath
the prehistoric soil towards the centre of the barrow.
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The grave below the smaller barrow. Note the earlier,
unexcavated pit to the left.
Excavating the larger barrow.
Annie in the grave.
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Day 11 - 1 October 2009
The grave beneath the smaller barrow was
emptied. To the side of this grave an earlier, smaller pit
has been noted; this will be excavated tomorrow.
The possible pit beneath the larger barrow
was found to be a charcoal-rich stain. The mound of the
barrow is, however, turning out to be more complex than
first thought. Excavation will continue.
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The possible stone filled ‘robbing’ pit in
the larger barrow.
Members of the excavation team watching Paul and Hubert excavate.
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Day 12 - 2 October 2009
Today was mostly taken up with recording
– drawing, written records and photography. In the
larger barrow a deposit of large stones may indicate that
the barrow has been ‘robbed’ in the recent past,
although this is far from clear. Unfortunately it will not
be possible to demonstrate this due to time running out.
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Paul cleaning over the early pit beneath the smaller barrow.
A section through the early pit.
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Day 13 - 4 October 2009
A day of section drawing and planning
of the larger barrow. The early pit beneath the smaller
barrow was excavated. This turned out to be filled with
charcoal, burnt stone and soil and a little burnt bone –
a partial cremation.
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Backfilling the site.
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Day 14 – 5 October 2009
This, the final day, consisted of taking
final samples, finishing off the recording and backfilling
the site. Much work needs to be done – analysing soil
samples and obtaining radiocarbon dates – before the
site reveals all its secrets; this work will be done over
the next year or so.
Finally, all who were involved with the
excavation would like to thank David and Lynette George
for allowing the excavation on their farm.
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