Archaeological feature of the month – July Bellever round house, Dartmoor
This Bronze Age round house in the Bellever plantation at SX64867674 has been the focus of a fascinating archaeological excavation for the past few years. As a result of winter storm damage in 2007, archaeologists have been carefully investigating the impact both past forestry operations and the storm have had on the round house and have discovered lots of information about life on Dartmoor during the Bronze Age around 3,500 years ago.
(visit their page here to access the linked PDF documents)
The round house is likely to have been occupied by livestock farmers, whose animals would have grazed in the surrounding fields (the boundaries of which still survive) and on nearby open grassland. Over 150 sherds of pottery were recovered during the excavation. The majority of the sherds belong to a type known as "Trevisker ware" and many showed signs of decoration. The excavation also recovered pieces of charcoal that have been radio carbon dated. The dates indicate that the round house was lived in from 1600BC to around 1200BC.
Other features identified included a well preserved paved floor, a ring of post holes for roof supports, door jambs, a perimeter ring of stake holes for an inner lining and a possible ritual abandonment cairn.
This year archaeologists will be returning to Bellever to investigate the area outside the round house, including some of the field boundaries and a smaller circular structure nearby. The excavation is due to take place in July and an open day will be held on Saturday 23 July as part of the Celebrations of the Festival of British Archaeology (external website, opens new window). A series of guided walks to the site will also be taking place on the 22 and 23 of July and Saturday 30 July.
More information about the round house excavation and the Bronze Age on Dartmoor can be found at the Postbridge Information Centre where the "Going for Bronze" exhibition is currently on display. This exhibition contains Bronze Age artefacts found on the moor and from Bellever, as well as beautiful replica bronze weapons.
There are over 5000 round houses known to exist on Dartmoor. A pocket guide about these monuments is available and can be brought from our online shop (external website, opens new window). A detailed guide to the archaeology of Bellever has recently been produced and is also available to buy online (external website, opens new window) or from one of our information centres. For more information on Bellever Plantation visit http://www.forestry.gov.uk/southwestengland .
http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/lookingafter/laf-culturalheritage/laf-archaeology/feature-of-the-month-july
Something is not right. This message is just to keep things from messing up down the road