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Monument Types

• CREMATION CEMETERY (Early Bronze Age - 2140 BC to 1740 BC)
• RING DITCH (Early Bronze Age - 2140 BC to 1770 BC) + Sci.Date
• D SHAPED ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age - 1940 BC? to 1740 BC) + Sci.Date
• PIT (Early Bronze Age - 1940 BC to 1740 BC)
• STANDING STONE (Early Bronze Age - 1940 BC to 1740 BC)
• CREMATION CEMETERY (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 1710 BC to 1320 BC) + Sci.Date

Summary

Excavation in 1996/7 recorded an Early Bronze Age funerary site that became a significant cremation cemetery in the Middle Bronze Age. With evidence for the remains of at least 81 individuals in this later cemetery, Eye Kettleby ranks among the larger excavated Bronze Age burial grounds in Britain.

Additional Information

<1> Finn, N, 1997, Eye Kettleby, Leicester Road, Melton Mowbray: An Interim Report on the Results of Excavation (Unpublished document). SLE1105.

Excavation in 1996/7 recorded over 60 Bronze Age cremation burials.

<2> Finn, Neil, 1998, Eye Kettleby, Leics: assessment report and updated project design (Unpublished document). SLE6288.

1996/7 excavation: 76 late Bronze Age cremation burials were identified, 26 of which were contained in urns. Associated with this cemetery were two circular ditched enclosures, one containing over half of the cremations. Two sub-rectangular enclosures may be associated with a late Bronze Age/early Iron Age settlement that contains remains of a rectangular structure and at least one possible roundhouse and several pits. (MH 29/04/04)

<3> Finn, N et al, 1998, Eye Kettleby, Leicestershire: Revised assessment and updated project design (Unpublished document). SLE2364.

Excavation in 1996/7 recorded a significant cemetery site with some evidence for occupation. There were 76 late Bronze Age cremations, 26 of which had been deposited in urns. Associated with the cemetery were two circular ditched enclosures - over half of the cremations occurred within one of these. In addition there were two large, sub-rectangular enclosures, which may have been associated with a settlement of late Bronze Age/early Iron Age date. The remains of a rectangular building and at least one possible roundhouse were noted, in addition to several pits. Finds recovered included animal bone, worked flint, 2 late Bronze Age loomweights and over 1,500 sherds of late Bronze Age/early Iron Age pottery.

<4> Finn, Neil, 2011, Bronze Age Ceremonial Enclosures and Cremation Cemetery at Eye Kettleby, Leicestershire: The Development of a Prehistoric Landscape, p31-83 (Monograph). SLE6069.

In the Early Bronze Age a group of ditch-defined monuments was constructed, comprising a pair of closely spaced ring ditches flanked by two elongated D-shaped enclosures. These were probably associated with funerary and probably attendant ceremonial activities.
The northern ring ditch enclosed an area measuring c.36m N/S by c.34m E/W. A burial was located at the centre of the ring ditch. The fill of the circular burial pit contained 7g of calcined human bone, sherds of a decorated Food Vessel and a lump of heat distorted copper alloy. Charcoal was radiocarbon dated, giving a date of 2140-1940 cal BC (95% probability) for the burial deposit.
The southern ring ditch enclosed an area of c.43m in diameter. There was a narrow entrance causeway on the north side, 0.8m wide. Within the ring ditch were a series of features with charcoal-rich fills, with very small amounts of cremated human bone. Radiocarbon dating gave a date of c.2010-1770 cal BC (95% probability) for these deposits.
The eastern D-shaped enclosure enclosed an area 64m E/W, c.34-39m N/S. There was an entrance on the east side, 3.9m wide. A few flints were recovered from excavated sections and a Bronze Age ceramic loom weight was found on the surface of the infilled ditch.
The western enclosure enclosed an area approximately 55m E/W by 41m N/S. There was an entrance on the west side. Part of a Group IV polished stone axe was recovered from the lower fill. The entrance was originally c.4m wide. Finds consisted of 12 pieces of flint. Environmental sampling produced cereal grains and charcoal. Radiocarbon dating gave dates of 1940-1740 cal BC (95% probability) for the use of the monument. A large sandstone boulder had been set into the western ditch after it had been almost completely filled. A pit was recorded in the north-east corner of the enclosure; from the upper fill came a near-complete Food Vessel.
The ring ditches and enclosures appear to have been broadly contemporaneous.
The complex became the focus for a cremation cemetery that was in use for a period of between two and four centuries, spanning the transition from the Early Bronze Age to the Middle Bronze Age. 86 cremation burials or burial-related features were recorded, including urned and unurned cremation burials and formalised deposits of pyre debris.
Of the 86 features, 74 were cremation burials (28 urned, 47 unurned) and 12 were features with significant quantities of burnt material but only a small amount of bone. Most of the cremations were clustered in groups within and around the Early Bronze Age monuments. Seven spatial groups were defined.
Group 1: burials within the northern ring ditch. 44 burials were interred here - 14 urned, 23 unurned, 7 pyre debris deposits. 12 of the 14 urns were buried in an upright position, the other two were inverted. One of the unurned burials contained a heat-distorted and incomplete copper alloy object. Radiocarbon dating of three burials gave dates between 1510 and 1330 cal BC.
Group 2: burials outside the SW quadrant of the northern ring ditch. 15 burials were interred here - 3 urned, 8 unurned, 4 pyre debris deposits. One of the urned burials was a multiple interment containing the remains of an adult male and a juvenile. Radiocarbon dating of three burials gave dates between 1690 and 1370 cal BC.
Group 3: burials within the western D-shaped enclosure. 12 burials, 5 urned, 6 unurned and one pyre deposit. In three cases the urn was laid on its side, a burial practice peculiar to this group. One of the urned interments was a multiple interment. A ring of stake-holes lined the base of one of the unurned deposits, indicating the existence of a wattle/basketwork lining. Another unurned burial was notable in that the grave pit was lined with large flat pebbles and a flat stone measuring 100 x 100 x 40mm lay over the fill. Radiocarbon dating of three burials gave dates between 1710 and 1500 cal BC. This group had a much higher bone weight.
Group 5: burials outside the north-west quadrant of the southern ring ditch. Three closely spaced burials, 2 urned. Radiocarbon dating of two of them gave dates between 1510 and 1320 cal BC.
Group 6: burials outside the south-west quadrant of the southern ring ditch. Four burials, 2 urned, 2 unurned. Radiocarbon modelling gave an estimated date of 1620-1450 cal BC.
Group 8: burials to the north of the eastern D-shaped enclosure. Two burials, one urned, one unurned. The urned burial contained the cremated remains of three individuals: an adult female, a second adult (probably female) and a child or 4 or 5 years. Radiocarbon modelling gave an estimated date of 1610-1500 cal BC.
Group 9: miscellaneous burials. Three unurned burials could not be allocated to the other spatial groups.
Analysis suggested that urned burials tended to favour the inclusion of older adults. (Infants and juveniles were underrepresented.) Sex, however, did not appear to play a part in the determination of burial type, since those in both urned and unurned burials comprised 53% male and 47% female.
2,282 Early to Middle Bronze Age pottery sherds were recovered. Only one cremation urn was complete. The Cordoned Urns and the single-cordoned vessel types with geometric incised decoration date from the Early Bronze Age/beginning of the Middle Bronze Age (1610-1500 cal BC). The plain cordoned urns and finger-impressed varieties belong more to the full Middle Bronze Age (1510-1320 cal BC).
Most of the charcoal recovered (possibly all of it) represents pyre fuel. Most frequent taxa were oak, alder and ash, but also hazel, hawthorn, blackthorn, spindle and possibly lime. Urned burials were more likely to be associated with pyres constructed from a single species of wood. Oak was generally excluded from the pyres of infants and juveniles.
Environmental sampling provided numerous fragments of tubers, also cereal grains and seeds.
With evidence for 74 cremation burials and 12 associated pyre deposits, containing the remains of at least 81 individuals, Eye Kettleby ranks among the larger excavated Bronze Age burial grounds in Britain.

<5> Parker, Matthew, 2013, Early Prehistoric Pottery: A Case Study From Leicestershire, p51, p76-7 (Unpublished document). SLE6068.

The ceramic assemblages from the Early Bronze Age mortuary area contained Food Vessels.
Petrographic analysis noted that three samples contained igneous granitic rock inclusions and a possible source at Mountsorrel was suggested.

Sources

Associated Finds

• HUMAN REMAINS (Early Bronze Age - 2140 BC to 1740 BC)
• LOOMWEIGHT (Early Bronze Age - 2140 BC to 1740 BC)
• PLANT REMAINS (Early Bronze Age - 2140 BC to 1740 BC)
• POLISHED AXEHEAD (Early Bronze Age - 2140 BC to 1740 BC)
• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Early Bronze Age - 2140 BC to 1940 BC)
• VESSEL (Early Bronze Age - 2140 BC to 1740 BC)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 1710 BC to 1320 BC)
• PLANT REMAINS (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 1710 BC to 1320 BC)
• SHERD (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 1710 BC to 1320 BC)
• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Early Bronze Age to Middle Bronze Age - 1710 BC to 1320 BC)

Designations

None recorded

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