Horse and Groom Inn burial: carbon date results in!

We have just received the results of the carbon dating of the Middle Iron Age skeleton from Horse and Groom Inn, Bourton on the Hill, Gloucestershire. The skeleton was of a male, who died aged 25-40, and stood 1.76m (5'9") tall.

'Rusty' the Iron Age skeleton

He had been buried in a crouched position in the base of a round pit. The backfill of the pit contained a lot of domestic occupation debris -charcoal, burnt clay and bone, and a near complete Middle Iron Age jar which may have been deliberately smashed by being thrown into the pit. Also found within the backfill material was the skeleton of a neonate - a 6 week old baby.

Middle Iron Age jar from the backfill of the burial pit

Part of the femur of the adult male was sent for carbon dating, and has returned a result of C14 date 2146BP +/-33 years, a calendar date of 196 BC +/- 33, which happily matches the date of the pottery jar!

Post-excavation research and analysis is continuing on the Iron Age remains, and on the medieval occupation and buildings at Horse and Groom Inn site.