Hawkinge Gazette

Local history [1]: Prehistoric teenage girl's grave found near Ramsgate henge [2]

Posted by editor on Oct 08, 2011 - 07:55 AM

News [3]

Archaeologists from Oxford Wessex Archaeology have discovered the grave of a teenage girl, along with two other women in East Kent.


The girl was found near what is now Manston Airport. She was buried laying on her side with flexed limbs, with an unusual pot standing by her right elbow.

The find of the girl's grave adds more evidence that henges were linked to death rituals.

The discovery of the 17-year-old's grave, along with a unique prehistoric pot inside of a ringed ditch near two other women, strengthens the idea that important death-related rituals took place at many of these mysterious ancient monuments when they were first erected.

 

"What is becoming clear is that with a series of major excavations in Kent linked to road and rail works, and new aerial photography, there are many circular earthworks that look part barrow and part henge, and like the one fully excavated example at Ringlemere (Near Woodnesborough), some of these may be both," said archaeologist Mike Pitts, publisher of British Archaeology, where a summary of the recent finds appears.

Two other women, aged 25-30 and 35-50, were also found buried inside the 72 feet-wide ditch.

It is clear that they must have been wealthy and could have worn clothing bejewelled with amber accents.

A conical amber button was located near the teenager's head.


Read the full story here

 

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©

 

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