A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Improvement Scheme: Digital Archive for Archaeological Works

Find Information for small find number 38124

Object: Cinerary Urn
Accession number: 38124
Material: Ceramic
Material species: Unidentified Species
Function: Religious beliefs and practices
Small find period: Unknown
Period of stratigraphy: Roman
Early date: 0
Late date: 0
Method of recovery: Unrecorded - Default assumption is hand collected
Was the object discovered during survey?: 0
Does the object fall under the treasure act?: 0
the object has been discarded?: 0

Vessel information for pot no. 25072

Vessel identification number: 35063
Number of fragments recovered: 82
Weight (in g): 2481
Estimated vessel equivalents represented by this material: 0
Rim diameter (in mm): 200
Small find number: 38124
Is pottery worn?: UNWORN
Is pottery abraided?: UNABRADED
Broad forming method, i.e. wheelmade or hand-built. Designed for use with Iron Age and Roman Pottery only: UNCERTAIN
Count of sherds collected from sample: 0
Comments: MAJORITY OF A BROKEN JAR WITH SIGNS OF INTERNAL SPALLING SMALL PORTION OF RIM RECORDED AS FOUND IN ASSOCIATION WITH CREMATION

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Vessel information for pot no. 25079

Vessel identification number: 35072
Number of fragments recovered: 1
Weight (in g): 208
Estimated vessel equivalents represented by this material: 0
Rim diameter (in mm): 0
Small find number: 38124
Is pottery worn?: UNWORN
Is pottery abraided?: UNABRADED
Broad forming method, i.e. wheelmade or hand-built. Designed for use with Iron Age and Roman Pottery only: UNCERTAIN
Count of sherds collected from sample: 0
Comments: BASE OF POT WITH NOTCH CUT INTO ONE SIDE FOUND IN ASSOCIATION WITH A LARGE ASSEMBLAGE OF SHERDS OF THE SAME VESSEL FROM A CREMATION

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ANALYSIS DW 24/08/2020. 6.3-MID ROMAN SINGLE CREMATED INDIVIDUAL IN CREMATION URN WITHIN PIT DUG INTO DITCH FILL, WITH GOOD REPRESENTATION FROM MOST BODY AREAS EXCEPT LOWER SPINE, OS COXAE & HANDS. CONTAINS LARGE FRAGMENTS OF CRANIUM, MANDIBLE (+ 1 TOOTH), VERTEBRAE, RIBS, U. & L. LIMB BONES. LARGE PROPORTION IDENTIFIABLE. RETRIEVED FROM CREMATION URN F<38124> IN PIT 380973, CUT INTO TOP OF DITCH (FILL 380974),C14 (LONG BONE) CAL 252-390 (95.4%). CONTAINS 2 X UNBURNT FRACTURED? RIBS FROM A YOUNGER INDIVIDUAL (SEE PATHOLOGY SECTION & EXCEL A14 CREMATION ANALYSIS SPREADSHEET). SPIRAL CRACKING, WARPING AND LONGITUDINAL CRACKS. C14 SAMPLE.

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF UNBURNT RIBS: 'FRESH' SAWN? CUTS ON VISCERAL ASPECTS OF SHAFTS (ONLY PARTIALLY SAWN - DOES NOT EXTEND THROUGH TO THE VISCERAL SURFACES (SNAP-OFF'S?)): LOCATION = 56.8MM FROM STERNAL END (ON THE WIDER (SUP-INF) OF THE 2 RIBS); 51.4MM FROM STERNAL END ON THE SECOND RIB). VERY SHARP EDGES TO LESIONS (VERY SIMILAR TO PM SAWN CUTS BUT FROM VISCERAL ASPECT) & NO HEALING SO PERIMORTEM. PROCESSING DEBRIS (ACCIDENTALLY) INCORPORATED INTO CREMATION BURIAL DEPOSIT? DIFF. DIAG. SEE CODE 4213).

SLIGHTLY PITTED CREAM COLOURED WOVEN BONE ON VISCERAL ASPECT OF LARGER OF THE TWO UNBURNT RIBS, IN THE REGION OF THE SAWN? CUT. ACTIVE PERIOSTEAL REACTION.

UNBURNT RIBS: 'FRESH' TRANSVERSE OR SHORT OBLIQUE FRACTURES (DIRECT BLOW (BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA INCLUDING FALLS & INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE (BRICKLEY 2006, 70)) OR LATERAL COMPACTION (FORCE FROM THE SIDE) OF RIB CAGE (GALLOWAY 1999, 107)) ON VISCERAL ASPECTS OF SHAFTS. VERY SHARP EDGES TO LESIONS (VERY SIMILAR TO PM SAWN CUTS BUT FROM VISCERAL ASPECT) & NO HEALING SO PERIMORTEM. POSSIBLY LATE TEENAGE / EARLY ADULT, SO FRACTURES COULD BE GREENSTICK WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VISCERAL & EXTERNAL ASPECTS OF LESIONS. MAY HAVE DIED FROM ASSOCIATED SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE TO INTERNAL ORGANS OF CHEST (PLEURA & LUNGS), OR INTERNAL BLEEDING, PNEUMOTHORAX, PNEUMONIA, EMPYEMA, FLAIL CHEST (LOVELL 1997, 159; BRICKLEY 2006, 65). POSS. DUE TO SEVERE IMPACT TO CHEST CAUSING COMPRESSION OF RIB CAGE (SCHMIDT, R, 2008 PERIMORTEM INJURY IN A CHINESE AMERICAN CEMETERY: TWO CASES OF OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD OR INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, INTERNET JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 3(2) HTTP://ISPUB.COM/IJBA/3/2/13579#).