Dartmoor dig uncovers 'stunning' Early Bronze Age burial cist

Archaeologists have made ‘stunning’ discoveries after excavating an Early Bronze Age burial cist at Cut Hill, one of Dartmoor’s most isolated hills.

Led by Dartmoor National Park Authority painstaking work revealed an exceptional cist - a stone-built box used to bury the dead in prehistoric times - containing well-preserved wood and a host of other material yet to be identified.

The Authority is encouraging people to support the conservation of the Cut Hill cist and any artefacts found by choosing to Donate for Dartmoor.

The discovery has parallels to the cist unearthed at Whitehorse Hill in 2011. The finds changed our understanding of Early Bronze Age life on Dartmoor.

Cut Hill stands at 603-metres high – one of five peaks over 600m – and lies within the military firing ranges.

Cist excavations were prompted when local historian Paul Rendell reported to the Authority that the feature was eroding out of the peat.

Site surveys and analysis, including radiocarbon dating of charcoal from inside the cist, gave a date of around 1,800BC - or 3,800 years old.

In May, Dartmoor National Park Authority unanimously supported a full archaeological intervention.

The dig took place from 9 – 12 August with the team enduring Dartmoor’s notoriously changeable weather, from bright sunshine through to thick fog and persistent rain.

Work was rewarded when excavations revealed a prehistoric cist of around one-metre square – over twice the size of the Whitehorse Hill cist – and topped with three granite capstones.

Dartmoor National Park Authority Archaeologist and Excavation Director Dr Lee Bray said: “It’s a stunning discovery with the potential to be every bit as fascinating as the finds at Whitehorse Hill.

"We were all pretty speechless when we lifted the capstone and looked inside. Not only is the cist bigger than we expected, but it contained multiple pieces of wood that appear to have been deliberately shaped and cut. This prompts more questions: could the wood have been an object that was dismantled and deliberately placed inside the grave? If so, what was it and who did it belong to?

"The volume of material reaches a depth of about 30cm so there's every chance it contains objects or artefacts we can't see yet. The next stage is for micro-excavations to determine what's in there. It's painstaking work that'll take time to complete but we're all very excited about it."

The team worked respectfully to wrap and seal the cist to conserve its contents. A special all-terrain vehicle was used to carefully transport the cist off the moor.

It is now in the care of the Wiltshire Conservation and Museums Advisory Service, part of Wiltshire Council, where it will undergo micro-excavations.

A team effort

The Cut Hill project is a partnership involving many skilled individuals and organisations.

Alongside Dr Bray they are: National Park and Historic England Archaeologist Andy Crabb; Laura Warren-Ratcliffe, Alexandra Taylor-Redish and Paul Redish from the Cornwall Archaeological Unit (CAU); the University of Leicester's Dr Laura Basell; Professor Ralph Fyfe of the University of Plymouth; Andy Coleman, Elliot Clarke and Josh Ashby of Quantock and Exmoor Ltd.

For CAU, which led the Whitehorse Hill excavations, it is yet another incredible opportunity to contribute to international understanding of Dartmoor’s Bronze Age landscapes.

Andy Jones, CAU’s Projects Manager, said: “Whitehorse Hill revealed an unparalleled collection of artefacts, which normally do not survive. These included a bearskin pelt, amber, shale and tin beads, as well as wooden ear studs, which were buried with a young woman.

"The current excavations have the potential to yield similarly exciting results which will help us understand how people lived and died on Dartmoor nearly 4,000 years ago.”

Andy Coleman, Managing Director of Quantock and Exmoor Ltd, added: "As part of our involvement with the South West Peatland Partnership, we work closely with archaeologists to preserve the cultural and historic heritage of our protected landscapes. It's been a real privilege to use our skills and experience with this exciting discovery."

In addition, support and funding was given by landowner the Duchy of Cornwall. Support also came from the Ministry of Defence, the South West Peatland Partnership, Alec Collyer MBE and the Forest of Dartmoor Commoners' Association.

Tom Stratton, The Duchy of Cornwall Land Steward, said: “The Duchy is delighted to support this project, as we did with the excavation at Whitehorse Hill. The risk caused to the cist by natural erosion made its removal the most appropriate means of safeguarding the historical artefacts within it. We hope further analysis will add to the understanding that we have of life in this area so many years ago.”

Using modern methods to picture the past 

Cutting-edge technology is enabling archaeologists to understand more about the people who lived in prehistory and the impact they had on the landscape.

Dr Basell’s specialist skills in geomatics, particularly remote sensing technology known as terrestrial LIDAR scanning, have built a comprehensive 3D map of the landscape and other monuments in the vicinity.

She said: “As a landscape archaeologist fascinated by Dartmoor’s prehistory, I was delighted to lead the geomatic survey. While surveying I pondered whether Bronze Age people saw this place as a liminal zone between earth, water and sky and perhaps life and death.

“At more than 600metres, Cut Hill offers stunning views but is often mist-covered and ethereal. Laser scanning allows me to create accurate virtual models facilitating ongoing exploration, interpretation, and monitoring of this remarkable location.”

Prof. Fyfe’s palaeoecological analysis helped reconstruct the environment the cist was built in while providing evidence for other types of land use, such as animal grazing. Data shows intense bursts of human activity in specific periods of prehistory that weren’t known about previously.

“Data confirmed the cist was placed in a relatively small area of bog heath with cotton-grass and heather, almost like an island, within a broader wooded landscape,” said Prof. Fyfe. “These weren’t people who were suddenly building burial monuments and reorganising the landscape around them; they were living in a place they were intimately familiar with and knew a lot about.”

What happens now?

Meticulous micro-excavations of the cist's contents will be conducted in controlled laboratory conditions. Any artefacts uncovered will be conserved and analysed with outcomes published when work is complete. Post-excavation works to restore the site to its original condition have been completed.

The site was visited by the BBC’s Digging for Britain team, who will be following the story as it unfolds.

Donate for Dartmoor and conserve the Cut Hill cist

Dartmoor is an internationally renowned landscape with evidence of thousands of years of human interaction.

History and culture are written in its buildings, wild spaces, traditions and settlements.

Protecting and conserving its places, wildlife and cultural heritage is the National Park’s first purpose - but your generous support is vital and very welcome.

By looking after these special sites, we can all learn more about people, nature and wildlife and ensure their future protection. 

Please help us conserve the Cut Hill cist and any artefacts found by donating to our Dartmoor for Dartmoor fund.