THE bOSCOMBE bOWMEN: a band of brothers
By zteve t evans
In 2003, while digging a trench for a new water pipe a Beaker burial from the Bronze Age was discovered. Most Bronze Age burials found to date have contained only one or two occupants but unusually this was a mass burial containing the remains of seven people.
The full story of this group of people may never be known but their discovery has thrown new light on the transportation of the bluestones from Wales to Stonehenge. It also reveals new knowledge of the movement and migration of people during the Bronze Age and the spread of commerce around Britain and from Europe.
The full story of this group of people may never be known but their discovery has thrown new light on the transportation of the bluestones from Wales to Stonehenge. It also reveals new knowledge of the movement and migration of people during the Bronze Age and the spread of commerce around Britain and from Europe.
A group burial
Wessex Archaeology examined the burial and reported that the remains of those found belonged to three adult males, one teenage male and three children. The oldest occupant was a man who was buried with his head to the north, on his side, with his legs curled up.
He had suffered a terrible injury to his left thighbone which had been broken and may have healed to be shorter than the right. It is not known how long he had carried the injury but he had survived to walk with a limp and was thought to be 30 to 45 years of age when he died.
The remains of the three children were found close to his head. One aged 2 to 4 had been the only one to be cremated. There was little left of the remains of a second child aged 5-6 years as the burial had been disturbed. The remains of a third child who is thought to have died aged 6 to 7 years were located higher, perhaps having been interned later than the others.
It was clear that the remains of the other two adult males and the teenager had been disturbed. The teenager was thought to probably be male and died between 15-18 years of age. The two adult males were thought to have died when they were 25 to 30 years of age.
It is thought that some, or all of the bones had been moved from a different location to this one because of the way they had been placed and because some of the bone surfaces were more worn. Interestingly, all of the skulls had small bones called Wormian bones and experts believe it is probable that they were all relatives.
Beaker Pottery
There were eight pots found in the grave and the remains of seven people and it may be significant that the grave contains the remains of the greatest number of people found in Britain in a Beaker grave along with the greatest number of pots.
The way the pots are decorated raises interesting questions. Of the eight pots found, six were decorated all over with a cord design and one had a plaited cord design all over. The eighth pot may have been decorated all over using a cord and comb design but was fragmented.
Wessex Archaeology examined the burial and reported that the remains of those found belonged to three adult males, one teenage male and three children. The oldest occupant was a man who was buried with his head to the north, on his side, with his legs curled up.
He had suffered a terrible injury to his left thighbone which had been broken and may have healed to be shorter than the right. It is not known how long he had carried the injury but he had survived to walk with a limp and was thought to be 30 to 45 years of age when he died.
The remains of the three children were found close to his head. One aged 2 to 4 had been the only one to be cremated. There was little left of the remains of a second child aged 5-6 years as the burial had been disturbed. The remains of a third child who is thought to have died aged 6 to 7 years were located higher, perhaps having been interned later than the others.
It was clear that the remains of the other two adult males and the teenager had been disturbed. The teenager was thought to probably be male and died between 15-18 years of age. The two adult males were thought to have died when they were 25 to 30 years of age.
It is thought that some, or all of the bones had been moved from a different location to this one because of the way they had been placed and because some of the bone surfaces were more worn. Interestingly, all of the skulls had small bones called Wormian bones and experts believe it is probable that they were all relatives.
Beaker Pottery
There were eight pots found in the grave and the remains of seven people and it may be significant that the grave contains the remains of the greatest number of people found in Britain in a Beaker grave along with the greatest number of pots.
The way the pots are decorated raises interesting questions. Of the eight pots found, six were decorated all over with a cord design and one had a plaited cord design all over. The eighth pot may have been decorated all over using a cord and comb design but was fragmented.
The Amesbury Archer
It is rare to find this number of pots with these types of designs. The plaited cord design is rarely found on Beaker pottery in Britain. One of the few examples was found with the Amesbury Archer who was known to have originated in central Europe, probably in Switzerland, or possibly Austria, or Germany. Along with the Archer was found another burial from the same age thought possibly to be his son, or at least a relative.
Although radiocarbon dating results are not yet available for the Bowmen they are for the Archer. Comparison of the pots found with Bowmen and the Archer suggests that they probably date between 2,400 and 2,200 BC.
Also found with the burial were five arrowheads from which they were named the Boscombe Bowmen. There were also found a boar's tusk, flint tools and a bone toggle. Boar's tusks are known to be tools used by metal workers on continental Europe and are often found with cushion stones such as was found with the Amesbury Archer. There was no cushion stone found with the Bowmen.
Links to Europe
The bone toggle is also interesting as only one other example has been found in Britain at Barnack in Cambridgeshire, though most other such finds have been on the continent of Europe. The designs of the toggle and the plaited cord pottery suggest to many archaeologists that they originated from continental Europe.
It has been proven that the Amesbury Archer was born in central Europe and some of his burial trove originated from other parts of Europe.
Where did the Boscombe Bowmen come from?
The Boscombe Bowmen are not believed to have originated in Europe. Analysis of their teeth by the British Geological Survey revealed that the men had lived in one location up to 6 years of age which was either Wales or the Lake District and then in another location from 6 to 13 years of age, possibly Wales but certainly not Stonehenge or even Wessex.
According to Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick from Wessex Archaeology: ''Either the Bowmen all moved at the same time over the same number of years, or their society regularly moved children between the ages of six and 13 to live in a different place and they moved nearer to Stonehenge later in their life.'
It is rare to find this number of pots with these types of designs. The plaited cord design is rarely found on Beaker pottery in Britain. One of the few examples was found with the Amesbury Archer who was known to have originated in central Europe, probably in Switzerland, or possibly Austria, or Germany. Along with the Archer was found another burial from the same age thought possibly to be his son, or at least a relative.
Although radiocarbon dating results are not yet available for the Bowmen they are for the Archer. Comparison of the pots found with Bowmen and the Archer suggests that they probably date between 2,400 and 2,200 BC.
Also found with the burial were five arrowheads from which they were named the Boscombe Bowmen. There were also found a boar's tusk, flint tools and a bone toggle. Boar's tusks are known to be tools used by metal workers on continental Europe and are often found with cushion stones such as was found with the Amesbury Archer. There was no cushion stone found with the Bowmen.
Links to Europe
The bone toggle is also interesting as only one other example has been found in Britain at Barnack in Cambridgeshire, though most other such finds have been on the continent of Europe. The designs of the toggle and the plaited cord pottery suggest to many archaeologists that they originated from continental Europe.
It has been proven that the Amesbury Archer was born in central Europe and some of his burial trove originated from other parts of Europe.
Where did the Boscombe Bowmen come from?
The Boscombe Bowmen are not believed to have originated in Europe. Analysis of their teeth by the British Geological Survey revealed that the men had lived in one location up to 6 years of age which was either Wales or the Lake District and then in another location from 6 to 13 years of age, possibly Wales but certainly not Stonehenge or even Wessex.
According to Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick from Wessex Archaeology: ''Either the Bowmen all moved at the same time over the same number of years, or their society regularly moved children between the ages of six and 13 to live in a different place and they moved nearer to Stonehenge later in their life.'
The Bluestones
There are two main types of stone used in the building of Stonehenge. The larger sarcens were sandstone and came from the Marlborough Downs about 30 km to the north. The bluestones come from Pembrokeshire in Wales from the Preseli Hills which according to analysis of their teeth is one of the possible areas where the Bowmen were born. Wessex Archaeology thinks it likely that the Bowmen along with their families had a role which was involved with the transportation of the bluestones which may have resulted in migration or movement of people along with the stones to Stonehenge.
The Movement of People
Dr Fitzpatrick believes: 'The Boscombe Bowmen, a band of brothers, must almost certainly be linked with the bringing of the bluestones to Stonehenge. With the discovery that the Amesbury Archer came from central Europe, these finds are casting the first light on an extraordinary picture at the dawn of the metal age.'
It is worth pointing out that other burial finds in the area can be shown to be occupied by local people such as that of the Stonehenge Archer who is thought to have also died around this time. The discovery of the Boscombe Bowmen and the Amesbury Archer show that there was movement of people within Britain and from abroad to the Stonehenge area.
The remains of the Archer's Companion show that he grew up in southern England and may have lived in the Midlands or north east Scotland at some stage of his life possibly as a teenager. If he was the Archer's son it shows some of these immigrants were settling in Britain to make it their home and bring their families up here.
Often Fact is more remarkable than fiction
Undoubtedly the discovery of the Boscombe Bowmen is a remarkable find which helps archaeologists to piece together the act of the building of Stonehenge and the kind of society that built it. Of course it is tempting to imagine all sorts of possible scenarios for the Boscombe Bowmen, Amesbury Archer and Stonehenge but often fact is more remarkable than fiction.
© 17/11/2009 zteve t evans
There are two main types of stone used in the building of Stonehenge. The larger sarcens were sandstone and came from the Marlborough Downs about 30 km to the north. The bluestones come from Pembrokeshire in Wales from the Preseli Hills which according to analysis of their teeth is one of the possible areas where the Bowmen were born. Wessex Archaeology thinks it likely that the Bowmen along with their families had a role which was involved with the transportation of the bluestones which may have resulted in migration or movement of people along with the stones to Stonehenge.
The Movement of People
Dr Fitzpatrick believes: 'The Boscombe Bowmen, a band of brothers, must almost certainly be linked with the bringing of the bluestones to Stonehenge. With the discovery that the Amesbury Archer came from central Europe, these finds are casting the first light on an extraordinary picture at the dawn of the metal age.'
It is worth pointing out that other burial finds in the area can be shown to be occupied by local people such as that of the Stonehenge Archer who is thought to have also died around this time. The discovery of the Boscombe Bowmen and the Amesbury Archer show that there was movement of people within Britain and from abroad to the Stonehenge area.
The remains of the Archer's Companion show that he grew up in southern England and may have lived in the Midlands or north east Scotland at some stage of his life possibly as a teenager. If he was the Archer's son it shows some of these immigrants were settling in Britain to make it their home and bring their families up here.
Often Fact is more remarkable than fiction
Undoubtedly the discovery of the Boscombe Bowmen is a remarkable find which helps archaeologists to piece together the act of the building of Stonehenge and the kind of society that built it. Of course it is tempting to imagine all sorts of possible scenarios for the Boscombe Bowmen, Amesbury Archer and Stonehenge but often fact is more remarkable than fiction.
© 17/11/2009 zteve t evans
References and Attributions
Copyright November 17, 2009 zteve t evans
Copyright November 17, 2009 zteve t evans
- Carn Menyn bluestones - geograph.org.uk - 1451509 - CC BY-SA 2.0 - ceridwen - From geograph.org.uk
- Wessex Archaeology Online - Men From the West
- Wessex Archaeology Online - The Boscmobe Bowmen
- Boscombe Bowmen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Meet the family who built Stonehenge - Telegraph