| Abstract: |
NY 988408. The cave, now destroyed, yielded finds from 1843 to 1872; Greenwell acquired many of these but others, especially the pottery, are now lost. The objects were sealed under stalagmite, over which lay Roman and medieval material. A few objects can be assigned to specific sites on the cave-plan. There were human and animal bones, hearths and charcoal. Most of the metal objects and many of the others are closely paralleled in associated finds of the British mature LBA. The contacts are not with hoards of Wilburton and Guilsford types, and not directly with Hallstatt C or later influences, but with British material of the time of late W Continental urnfields, Montelius V and carp's tongue swords. This dating accords with the late Urnfield background (not Ha C) for the wagon-fittings and horse-gear, and for the bronze bucket dated c 700-650 BC (Hawkes & Smith). Hence all the objects subsequently sealed under stalagmite were probably deposited within the final 8th and 7th cents BC; but whether simultaneously or not cannot now be decided. Au(adp) |
