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Summary

Possible clearance cairn with possible secondary funerary function.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Alternate Type) BARROW? (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC (Between) to 42 AD? (Between))
• CAIRN (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC (Between) to 42 AD? (Between))
• CLEARANCE CAIRN? (Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 1000 BC (Between) to 42 AD? (Between))

Full description

Smith, G. + David, A. + Jones, R. + Quinnell, H., 2021, A Late Bronze Age Field System and Settlement at Dainton, South Devon, 67-72, Figs 2, 10,12 (Article in Serial). SDV365337.

Excavation by English Heritage’s Central Excavation Unit in 1986 recorded Cairn 7, in Trench 5, one of four cairns within Field 56. It measured 8m in diameter and 0.3m high. This cairn had one distinctly larger than average pillar-shaped block of limestone (stone 77) forming something of a focal point protruding above the rest of the cairn, slightly off-centre, hinting at a possible secondary, funerary use. The stone was not accompanied by any underlying pit but it was close to a small group of artefact, the only ones found fellow the cairn. These consisted of basic igneous pottery fragments, a utilised pebble and a few, unidentifiable bone fragments. A triangular cavity (pit 2726) was found in the bedrock just to the south-east of the cairn, which was of similar size and shape to stone 77 and from which it may have been sourced. Under the north-west edge of the cairn, but not securely sealed by it, was a fragment of samian ware.
Dating the cairn is difficult because of its shallow depth and the likelihood of long re-use. In contrast to cairn 4, cairn 7 had only a few prehistoric sherds below it but numerous ones within it, providing evidence that it was built after the majory of the Late Broze Age pottery was deposited within the fields.
All four of the cairns in this field were large and low, in contrast to those in fields 55 and 59. Both cairns 4 and 7 were very low and therefore presumably much spread by trampling and probably added to during various periods, but even so were surprisingly regular in outline. They took up a considerable part of the field area, which seems illogical if they were clearance cairns.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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