MOUND OF EARTH

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11686, 26 November 1923, Page 4

MOUND OF EARTH

8000 TEARS OLD. A huge grave near Exeter, in which it is expected to find the remains of people who inhabited Devon 3000 years ago, is shortly to be excavated. TKe grave, or barrow, is situated on the boundaries of three parishes—Shobrooke, Thorverton and Upton Pyne —a few miles from the city. The liev. J. F. Chanter, a prebendary of Exeter Cathedral and an archaeological authority, will conduct the excavation on behalf of the Exeter Architectural and Archaeological Society. "There is no doubt," he said, "that the barrow is what might be called a “Mound of Death/ and there is every reason to believe that it contains Neolithic remains. “I am hopeful of finding urns containing the ashes of Neolithic men and women. In Neolithic times people were almost always oremated, and their ashes were buried in earth. “It' would, of course, he extremely interesting if we found a skull, but that is not very probable." He added that he also hopes to find implements and examples of Neolithic pottery. ETHELREJFS 'WARRIORS. Prebendary Chanter pointed out that in the West of England the Neolithic Age persisted, while most other' parts of the country had advanced into the Iron Age. He Relieves that if remains are found in the “mound of death'’ they will add considerably to modem knowledge of the Neolithic period. Standing near the "mound of death” is an ancient wayside chapel which was restored by Sir John Shelley. Efforts were made recently to discover the remains of Danish warriors who defeated the British king under King Ethelred in 1001 at the Battle of Pinhoe. These remains were thought to lie in a great mound in a wood near Pinhoe, but all endeavours to find them failed.

The Neolithic Age’ was the later phase of the prehistoric Stone Age civilisation which preceded the use of metals.