Broken Bracelets and Boundaries: The discovery of a Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age Settlement at Burham, Kent

Excavations by Wessex Archaeology, near Burham in the Medway valley, uncovered unique evidence for the manufacture of shale bracelets using flint tools during the Bronze Age. This exciting find, in conjunction with Bronze Age and Iron Age settlement and mortuary activity, is the earliest known example of large scale production of shale bracelets, possibly from the UK and certainly from Kent and offers the opportunity to explore previously unknown trade links with the region.

The work was carried out from mid January to mid May of this year. It was funded by Aylesford Newsprint Ltd as part of their lagoon construction programme and commissioned by their consultants AECOM following advice from KCC Heritage Officers.

An area measuring 1.8ha was stripped of topsoil, revealing an extensive network of archaeological features beneath. These features slot into a prehistoric landscape, which includes a Neolithic causewayed enclosure and an Iron Age enclosure, previously identified by geophysical survey and by the study of cropmarks.

On-site stratigraphic phasing of the archaeology supported by dating from the preliminary assessment of the artefacts demonstrated that settlement of this site began sometime during the end of the Bronze Age (1100 - 700BC).

MAIN COVER PICTURE: © Valley of Visions.
COVER INSET: Shale bracelets of different shapes and forms.
BELOW: The site during the Open Day. © Valley of Visions.

continuing through the Iron Age and into the mid-Roman period (AD 150 - 250). The most interesting aspect of this site comes from evidence suggesting the Late Bronze Age community was practicing shale working. The evidence survives as massive deposits of mixed flint and shale industrial waste in features and midden dumps across the site.

The character of the shale objects and waste demonstrated that the particular focus of this industry was to produce bracelets. Recovered examples of broken bracelets in various stages of production have already provided a great deal of information about the industry and the processes involved in their production. The bracelets were being worked by hand from blanks that were possibly brought to the site from as far afield as Kimmeridge in Dorset. It appears that struck flint was the preferred tool for working the shale as massive quantities of the material were found in association with the shale waste. Although no complete finished examples of bracelets were recovered, broken pieces of finished forms were found. After these are conserved and analysed we will eventually be able to demonstrate the range of sizes and designs which were being produced.

This find is highly significant and has the potential to inform a great deal about Late Bronze Age economy, trade and beliefs in south east England. It is likely that an established trade network up and down the River Medway was the original market, but the nature and extent of the trade network are not yet understood.

The bulk of the other features uncovered related to a broad phase of activity dating to the Late Bronze Age / Early Iron Age, around the first half of the first millennium BC. These mainly consisted of features related to domestic activity. The site was divided up by an interesting series of fence lines and ditches, probably aligned on previously established boundaries and divisions of the surrounding farmland and by the topography of the site, which suggested evidence of field boundaries visible as linear depressions.

At various times during this period, different parts of the site had been set apart as burial grounds. A dispersed inhumation cemetery was represented by four crouched burials, and a further cemetery containing up to 20 un-urned cremation burials was also revealed. Environmental processing of some of the cremated remains has recovered fragments of amber, probably remnants of jewelry which would have adorned the dead for cremation.

One of the main elements of the site was an Iron Age enclosure. Only the south west corner of this was exposed within the excavation area, the remainder being accurately mapped and located by geophysics. The uncovered part of the enclosure provided the opportunity to establish the character of the perimeter ditches and external associated features, such as pits and post holes. The interior remains a mystery for the present.

There was evidence that this enclosure may have been utilised for a short time during the Roman period. Fragments of building materials and ceramics dating to this period were recovered from the upper fills of the enclosure ditches and from associated refuse pits.

Crucial post excavation assessment of the material recovered is continuing in order to further our understanding of the significance of the site. Why did people come here in the late Bronze Age to make shale bracelets? Were they drawn to this area by the presence of the Neolithic enclosure? Could this monument have still been visible in the landscape and an important focus into the Bronze and Iron Ages? Was this area of ritual significance or was the River Medway as a trading route the main appeal? By undertaking further analysis we hope to be able to answer such questions as these.

Acknowledgements

Wessex Archaeology would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to AECOM for commissioning the work on behalf of Aylesford Newsprint Ltd, to Wendy Rogers and Lis Dyson of Kent County Council for their guidance and support throughout the project. Thanks are also extended to the KAS members for their interest and enthusiasm during their attendance of the Margetts Pit Open Day. This article was written on behalf of Wessex Archaeology by Jon Milward and edited by Wendy Rogers of KCC. The project was managed by Caroline Budd (Wessex Archaeology: Salisbury) and by Mark Williams (Wessex Archaeology: Maidstone).