A team of archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) have uncovered a 4,000-year-old treasure trove of ritual and religious activity in Overstone, near Northampton, England. This ancient site, which was in use for over 2,000 years, was found to be centered around a natural spring and has yielded both Bronze Age and Roman artifacts.
As Simon Markus from MOLA explained to the BBC, the site would have been “a highly significant place for local ancient communities.” The team, working ahead of new housing development in the village, made a series of intriguing discoveries. The oldest find was a Bronze Age barrow , a type of ancient burial mound, built between 2000 BC and 1500 BC. However, unlike most barrows, this one did not contain any human remains, only five empty burial urns , leading Markus to suggest that it may have had a more symbolic, rather than functional, use.
Five empty Bronze Age burial urns were excavated from the Northampton site, suggesting it was a symbolic site. The area was later developed into a Roman ritual center. ( Museum of London Archaeology )
Bronze Age Discoveries
A number of Bronze Age discoveries have already been made in Northampton, which have provided an insight into the lives and cultural practices of the people who lived in the area during the Bronze Age.
One notable discovery was a Bronze Age settlement at Duston, Northampton where a large number of roundhouses were excavated. These roundhouses were likely the homes of Bronze Age people. Also,…
