Description:
Wookey Hole cave was excavated in 1911 and later by Balch, revealing an average of 4-7ft of stratification, mostly Iron age sealed by Romano-British. Finds included a silver coin of Marcia (124BC), pottery from early Iron age to Romano British, iron weapons and tools, bronze ornaments, and Roman coins from Vespasian to Valentinian II. Further work in 1926-7, again by Balch, produced many similar finds mainly from the upper RB levels. Investigation of the river bed within the cave by divers in 1947-9 produced RB bowls and lead ewers, part of an C11-12 cooking pot, and two late C17 glass bottles. A considerable number of human bones associated with RB material was also found. Some of the pottery found by Balch was of Glastonbury type, and there were distinct resemblance between skulls found at Glastonbury and Wookey. A silt bank in the previously inaccessible fourth chamber, known as "Holy Hole", was excavated over short periods in 1973-7. Remains of at least 10 individuals were found accompanied by RB pottery and C2-3 ornaments. The burials here, and in other parts of the cave, may have been ritual, as they were almost all of young people and apparently not of entire bodies. {1}
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An area was excavated in chamber 4 to investigate the sources of human bone found by the divers in 1946. 1350 pieces of human bone representing at least 28 individuals were discovered some in situ and associated with bronze jewelry and coins of 260-74. These had been disturbed by activity, including a fireplace, of probable C18 date. {13}
A Roman coin hoard of 15 Antoniniani dated to approximately 274 AD, probably from a purse with material derived from burials, was found at Wookey Hole (ST 5347) in 1975. {14}
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The caves represent a significant element in a pattern of Iron Age and Romano-British cave usage which includes sites throughout the Mendip Hills. Unfortunately the quantity of material found by Balch is not known and not all of his finds were published or recorded. Finds include pottery, coins, objects of copper alloy, lead, iron, stone and bone. The finds suggest that Romano-British occupation roughly began around the early second century to the late fourth century AD. The occupation appears to be domestic as the pottery includes cooking and eating vessels. Animal bones were discovered along with simple bone jewellery and tools. {17}
A large number of apotropaic (ritual protection) marks were recorded in the Witch's Chimney in the cave. They are similar to those known from houses dated from 1550 to 1750. {18}
Bones from the so-called 'Witch of Wookey', discovered by Balch and identified by him as of a goatherd were examined and dated. The skeleton produced different dates from the humerus (Roman) and femur (Iron Age) but most of the bones appeared to be from a male aged 25-35. A goat skull found nearby dated to the C7-9 AD. {20}
Two virtually complete Roman pottery vessels, a flagon and a bottle, were recovered by cave divers. The were both of late Roma date and probably originated with the burials previously investigated. {22} |
Sources:
1: Record card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division record card. Record ID: ST 54 NW 14 (1979) Copy in HER file.
2: Journal article: Balch, HE and Troup, RDR. A late celtic and Romano-British cave-dwelling at Wookey-Hole, near Wells, Somerset. <i> Archaeologia, </i> <b>62</b> (1911), 565-92 Copy available in SANHS library at Somerset Heritage Centre.
3: Journal article: Balch, HE. Further excavations at the late celtic and Romano-British cave-dwelling at Wookey Hole, Somerset. <i> Archaeologia, </i> <b>64</b> (1913), 337-46 Copy available in SANHS library at Somerset Heritage Centre.
4: Book: Balch, HE. <i>Wookey Hole: Its Caves and Cave Dwellers</i>. (1914)
5: Journal article: Balch, HE. Some prehistoric finds from the Mendips. <i> Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society, </i> <b>1:1</b> (1920), 48-51
6: Journal article: Balch, HE. Excavations at Wookey Hole and other Mendip caves. <i> Antiquaries Journal, </i> <b>8</b> (1928), 193-210 Copy available in SANHS library at Somerset Heritage Centre.
7: Book: Balch, HE. <i>The Great Cave of Wookey Hole</i>. (1947)
8: Journal article: Mason, EJ. Note on recent exploration in Wookey Hole. <i> Archaeological Journal, </i> <b>107</b> (1950), 93-4 Copy available in SANHS library at Somerset Heritage Centre.
9: Journal article: Mason, EJ and Mason, D. Report on human remains and material recovered from the River Axe in the Great Cave of Wookey Hole during diving operations from October 1947 to January 1949. <i> Somerset Archaeology and Natural History, </i> <b>96</b> (1952), 238-43 <a href="https://sanhs.org/20-notes/" target="_blank"><img src="/img/link_icon.png" alt="Globe icon" style="padding-bottom:4px;" /> Available online</a>.
10: Journal article: <i> Cave Diving Newsletter, </i> <b>27</b> (1958) Copy available in Unknown or non-existent.
11: Museum Accession Number: OXFPR 1909.54.10.1, .11 and .13. Stored in Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford. (potsherds, animal bones, broken stone hone)
12: Book: Green, MJ. <i>The Religions of Civilian Roman Britain</i>. (1976), 184. British Archaeological Reports 24.
13: Journal article: Hawkes, CJ, Rogers, J and Tratman, EK. Romano-British cemetery in the fourth chamber of Wookey Hole Cave, Somerset. <i> Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society, </i> <b>15:1</b> (1978), 23-52 Copy available in SANHS library at Somerset Heritage Centre. <a href="http://www.ubss.org.uk/resources/proceedings/vol15/UBSS_Proc_15_1_23-52.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="/img/link_icon.png" alt="Globe icon" style="padding-bottom:4px;" /> Available online</a>.
14: Data transfer from National Record of the Historic Environment, Historic England (Last recorded update before transfer: 1991) Source record ID: 197150.
15: Book: Jessop, M. <i>Coin Hoards, volume 2</i>. (1976), 71.
16: Book: Whimster, R. <i>Burial Practices in Iron Age Britain: A Discussion and Gazetteer of the Evidence c.700BC - AD43</i>. (1981) British Archaeological Reports 90.
17: Journal article: Branigan, K and Dearne, M.J. The Romano-British finds from Wookey Hole: a re-appraisal. <i> Somerset Archaeology and Natural History, </i> <b>134</b> (1991), 57-80 <a href="https://sanhs.org/1990-branigan-dearne-57-80/" target="_blank"><img src="/img/link_icon.png" alt="Globe icon" style="padding-bottom:4px;" /> Available online</a>.
18: Journal article: Binding, CJ and Wilson, LJ. Ritual protection marks in Wookey Hole and Long Hole, Somerset. <i> Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society, </i> <b>25:1</b> (2010), 47-73 Copy available in SANHS library at Somerset Heritage Centre. <a href="http://www.ubss.org.uk/resources/proceedings/vol25/UBSS_Proc_25_1_47-73.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="/img/link_icon.png" alt="Globe icon" style="padding-bottom:4px;" /> Available online</a>.
19: In book: Bryant, A. 'Iron Age cave use on Mendip: a re-evaluation' In Lewis, J. <i>The Archaeology of Mendip</i>. (2011) at 139-57. Copy in Local Studies collection at Somerset Heritage Centre. Class T MEN LEW
20: Journal article: Lane, B. New radiocarbon dates for sites around Wells. <i> Somerset Archaeology and Natural History, </i> <b>159</b> (2015), 186-90 <a href="https://sanhs.org/shorterpapers-3/" target="_blank"><img src="/img/link_icon.png" alt="Globe icon" style="padding-bottom:4px;" /> Available online</a>.
21: Book: Barrington, N and Stanton, W. <i>The Complete Caves of Mendip</i>. (1977), 179-180. Third edition.
22: Journal article: Simmonds, VJ, Corney, M and Litchfield, M. A report on two Romano-British vessels recently recovered from Wookey Hole cave, Somerset. <i> Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society, </i> <b>28:1</b> (2019), 137-41 <a href="https://www.ubss.org.uk/resources/proceedings/vol28/UBSS_Proc_28_1_137-141.pdf" target="_blank"><img src="/img/link_icon.png" alt="Globe icon" style="padding-bottom:4px;" /> Available online</a>. |