Marden Henge (and Hatfield Barrow) forum 3 room
Image by ginger tt
close
more_vert

Bit more here - http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/8299709.Feast_of_finds_at_Marden/

The team also discovered a midden, or rubbish tip, with evidence of great feasting. The 5,000-year-old bones of pigs, some still attached to each other, have been found in perfect condition.
Our ancestors were certainly fond of their bacon : -)

Hi all - I was lucky enough to go on one of the tours that Jim Leary was doing and there was a number of things found of real interest to me and I'm sure to many other people out there! This info was freely given by Jim and hopefully there isn't a problem with me telling you what he was openly telling the world himself, so here it goes!

The first was that the entrance to the henge nearest the river had a cobbled road/path in what appears to be going in the direction towards the river (notably the river that then connects to Durrington Walls), Jim said this road/path is very similar to the road found by Prof Parker Pearson at Durrington Walls. The one at MH appears to be constructed of stones bought onto site.

I asked the question about sarsen stones on site and he said they have found a few fragments but he clearly said this wasn't unexpected because the whole area, even the Plain has traces of sarsen, big and small - he said they had found no evidence of standing stones at MH!

The henge was quite interesting also in the fact that he said it appears to be raised in the centre, my first thought was of a burial mound, can't quite recall the terminology but think it's along the lines of a pond barrow or bowl barrow (something like this - perhaps someone can help me out there!) but maybe my thoughts are completely wrong there! He said that grooved ware pottery, a bone pin, flint flakes and articulated pig bones were found in the trench on the henge bank, can't remember if this was in the house or in the midden just outside on the bank.

He said also that when they excavated the hatfield "barrow" they found what appears to be a post hole in the centre and a flint blade and bone was found in the infill.

All in all, it was a very good tour and there were masses of people there to take in all the info and knowledge, so a big thumbs up to the organisers!