Monument record MDO18428 - Poundbury Middle Iron Age pit E613

A square Middle Iron Age pit was found close to Middle Iron Age round house IA8 during excavations at Poundbury. This pit appears to have been associated with the earliest phase of Middle Iron Age unenclosed settlement in this area. In the Late Iron Age, two horse skulls appear to have been deliberately placed within a scoop in the top of this pit.

Found during the excavations directed by Christopher Sparey Green, for the Dorchester Excavation Committee, between 1966 and 1980 during development of the Grove Trading Estate on the eastern slopes of Poundbury Camp, Dorchester (1). The numbers in square brackets below refer to the context and feature numbers used in the published report and archive (1) (2).

Pit [E613] was located about five metres to the north of the Middle Iron Age round house IA8 and may be contemporary with it. It was sub-rectangular in shape, 1.6m deep and approximately 1.5m x 2m across. This pit cut the earlier Middle Iron Age pit [E670].

During the Late Iron Age, two horse skulls appear to have been deliberately buried within a shallow scoop in the top of this pit.

<1> Sparey Green, C, 1987, Excavations at Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset 1966-1982. Volume 1: The Settlements (Monograph). SDO9630.

<2> Sparey Green, C, 1966-1979, Poundbury, Grove Trading Estate, Dorchester (Excavation archive). SDO10096.

Record last edited

Feb 16 2007 3:37AM