Jesmond, Villa Reale, inhumation in cist with Food Vessel

HER Number:
1395

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Jesmond, Villa Reale, inhumation in cist with Food Vessel

Place:
Jesmond

Map Sheet:
NZ26NE

Class:
Religious Ritual and Funerary

Site Type: Broad:
Burial

Site Type: Specific:
Inhumation

General Period:
Prehistoric

Specific Period:
Bronze Age

Form of Evidence:
Find

Description:
In 1828, while "trenching some ground for planting", Russell Blackbird, owner of Villa Reale, discovered a cist which measured 4 feet x 2 feet x 20 inches deep. It contained "the bones of a man, the head in particular, quite perfect, with all the teeth in it", and a Food Vessel. It is inferred that this had originally been a contracted adult inhumation. The vessel is bowl-shaped, and elaborately decorated - groups of encircling grooves, some rouletted, separating bands of stamped or incised herringbone, pseudo maggots, lozenges, chevrons and triangles. It was presented to the Society of Antiquaries by the finder. The site was redeveloped in the 1980s for sheltered housing, but part of the garden remains as informal woodland.

Easting:
2600

Northing:
6562

Grid Reference:
NZ26006562

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 1395 >> R. Blackbird, 1832, Account of the Discovery of a Stone Vault and Urn, at Villa Real... Archaeologia Aeliana, 1, II, p. 315 and pl. XI M.A. Richardson, 1843, The Local Historian's Table Book, Historical Division, III, p. 373 J. Sykes, 1866, Local Records, II, p. 218 F.W. Dendy, 1904, An Account of Jesmond, Archaeologia Aeliana, 3, I, 14-15 R. Miket, 1984, The Prehistory of Tyne and Wear, p. 36 no. 2