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Summary

Excavation on land off Shortlands Lane revealed a later 1st century military cremation burial. The care and attention paid to his burial would suggest a ranked soldier, almost certainly belonging to the garrison on St Andrews Hill. He was cremated along with a number of animals and the remains placed in a large imitation butt beaker. A shale tray was laid over the grave which was marked by a ring of posts. To the south was a probable rectangular funerary enclosure suggesting that this the site of an early Roman cemetery.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CREMATION BURIAL (I - 1 AD to 100 AD) + Sci.Date
• FUNERARY ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

Morris, B., 2014, Land at Shortlands Lane Cullompton, Devon. Results of a Desk-Based Assessment and Archaeological Excavation, 3, 27-32, 59, 62-64, 76, Appendices (Report - Excavation). SDV359548.

Excavation on land off Shortlands Lane prior to development revealed a later 1st century military cremation burial. This is the first undisturbed burial of its kind to be excavated in Devon in recent times and the only one to produce human bone.
The burial comprised a small pit (953) containing a large, unusual and intact immitation BB1 butt beaker accompanied by a small greyware jar and covered by a large decorated shale board. The beaker contained a mass of cremated remains, animal as well as human, corroded iron nails and the partly melted neck of a glass unguent bottle. The cremation returned a calibrated radiocarbon date of 20BC-126AD.
Analysis shows that the deceased was probably a man aged 25-35 who had led an active life. He was cremated along with a surprising array of animals, as well as a number of personal possessions. The number of animals (or parts of animals) which includes a piglet, sheep and at least four different domestic fowl is unusual and presumably relates to the perceived status of the deceased. The inclusion of a small glass unguent bottle has parallels with examples from Exeter, and burial rites in southern Gaul and northern Italy. The presence of carbonised cereals within the cremation may indicate a grain provision while the seeds of rose and elder which were found could be from a spray of flowers laid on the body prior to the cremation. Finds of hobnails indicate that he was wearing his boots and was therefore clothed, perhaps in his uniform although no other fitments were found. The soldiers cremated remains were carefully collected and interred within a large and striking imitation BB1 butt beaker, and a decorated shale tray was laid over his grave. The use of a butt beaker and shale tray is paralleled by burials in Exeter and Winchester respectivly. They may have been personal possessions. The location of the grave was marked by a ring of posts, and would have been highly visible. The care and attention paid to his burial would suggest a ranked soldier, almost certainly belonging to the garrison on St Andrews Hill.
To the south of the burial was part of a rectangular enclosure (998) defined by two narrow linear features. Within the enclosure were two shallow postholes. A single sherd of butt beaker was recovered from the fill of one of these postholes which matched two additional fragments found with the cremation burial. It is likely, therefore, that this was a rectangular funerary enclosure.
See report for full details of the site and all finds.

SWArchaeology, 2014, SWARCH - Cullompton 2009, 2011, 4 (Article in Serial). SDV360659.

On the edge of the site, the cremation found has proven to be a military-era burial probably dating to the third quarter of the 1st century AD.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV6176 - KNIFE (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV6172 - ANIMAL REMAINS (I - 1 AD to 100 AD)
• FDV6169 - BEAKER (I - 1 AD to 100 AD)
• FDV6156 - BOTTLE (I - 1 AD to 100 AD)
• FDV6168 - CEREAL GRAIN (I - 1 AD to 100 AD)
• FDV6155 - CREMATION (I - 1 AD to 100 AD)
• FDV6162 - HOB NAIL (I - 1 AD to 100 AD)
• FDV6170 - JAR (I - 1 AD to 100 AD)
• FDV6171 - TRAY (I - 1 AD to 100 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV6943 - Desk Based Appraisal and Excavation of Land off Shortlands Lane, Cullompton

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