Denton, urned cremation

HER Number:
1245

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Denton, urned cremation

Place:
Denton

Map Sheet:
NZ16NE

Class:
Religious Ritual and Funerary

Site Type: Broad:
Burial

Site Type: Specific:
Cremation

General Period:
Prehistoric

Specific Period:
Bronze Age

Form of Evidence:
Find

Description:
In 1813 or 1814 three short cists (c. 2' x 1'/1'6"), aligned SW-NE, were found c. a quarter of a mile SW of the Roman Wall near Denton Hall. "The centre enclosure contained the urn, the bottom of which was about the same depth as the edge stones; the remaining space within was filled up with very fine soft yellow sand, almost to the surface. The urn contained a substance very much resembling (what is commonly called) shag tobacco". It seems likely that this was a cremation even though the so-called urn was a food vessel.

Easting:
1971

Northing:
6522

Grid Reference:
NZ19716522

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 1245 >> E. Woodhouse, 1822, An Account of the Opening of an ancient grave near Denton... Archaeologia Aeliana, 1, I, 101-2 M.H. Dodds, 1930, Prehistoric Period, Northumberland County History, XIII, 12 T. Wake, 1937, A Bronze Age Burial Cist found near Denton Burn, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 4, VII (for 1935-36), 227 R. Miket, 1984, The Prehistory of Tyne and Wear, p. 15 no. 1