Bronze Age burial urn discovered in Staffordshire

A 3,500-year-old urn with the cremated human remains from the Bronze Age still inside has been unearthed by workers on moorland at a nature reserve.

The urn was discovered when workers building a path hit it with a pick axe. The urn was
 found to still contain the cremated human remains. Experts have dated the urn 
at around 3,500 years old [Credit: Newsteam]

The clay pot was discovered as workers attempted to build a new path at the Roaches Nature Reserve near Leek in Staffordshire on the edge of the Peak District.

Archaeologists have said the discovery shows the area, known for its dramatic landscape and gritstone outcrops, was an important site during the Bronze Age.

It was found by Kieran Fogarty, 32, a footpath repair worker from Ilam, Staffordshire but now lives in Scotland, when he struck it with a pick axe.

He said: 'I can hardly say I carefully excavated it, but I had a feeling it was something special. I knew it was old because it was buried so far down. I could see it was thick-walled pottery and there were bits of charcoal and bone with it. I found it in the most random of holes in the most random of places. There was just something about it.'

Archaeologists returned to the site to excavate further bits of the urn and the remains contained within.

Once the urn has been fully investigated it will be deposited with the Potteries Museum in Hanley, Staffs.

Dr John Barnatt, the archaeologist who led the excavation, said: 'The finding of the urn illustrates people in the Bronze Age perhaps venerated this location.'

The urn was discovered during work on moorland in the Roaches, on the 
edge of the Peak District, which is famed for its craggy outcrops 
and rugged landscape [Credit: Newsteam]

Researchers are hoping to get a better idea of where the pot was made by examining where the clay came from while carbon dating on the charcoal found inside will provide an accurate date.

They are also hoping the cremated bone may help to reveal the age and even the sex of the individual inside.

Ken Smith, cultural heritage manager for the Peak District National Park, said: 'Often finds like this are associated with burial mounds but in this case there was no clue on the ground surface that there was archaeology present.

'It offers a reminder that even small scale ground disturbance, such as footpath repair, can have an archaeological impact. Close inspection of the pot fragments may tell us where the clay came from. Dating of the charcoal will help them to put a date on the cremation, and study of the cremated bone could give an indication of the age, and even the sex, of the individual.'

Daniel Jellyman, Stoke-on-Trent City Council's heritage champion, added: 'This is an exciting find revealing a prehistoric site that was completely unknown.

'It is unbelievable that a simple earthen ware burial urn has survived over 3,500 years. It will be a fantastic addition to the Bronze Age artefacts on display in the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, which is already designated as being of national importance.'

Historian Doug Pickford said the discovery confirms the historical importance of the site where the artefact was found.

He said: 'I've long suspected there was something there.'

Author: Richard Gray | Source: Daily Mail Online [August 29, 2015]