Iron Age cremation and extractive pits, Cam Valley Crematorium (EHER 80748)

Excavations in 2017 in advance of the construction of the Cam Valley Crematorium revealed Iron Age activity comprising quarrying and deposition rather than habitation. This quarrying activity appears to have taken place on an ad hoc basis, to extract the underlying chalk and flint. Iron Age pottery sherds were recovered from several of the quarry pits. In addition, a small assemblage of Roman pottery was recovered from the upper layers of the quarry pits, suggested that they may have remained at least partially open into the Roman period.

March-June 2017. Controlled Strip and Excavation. Iron Age activity on this site comprised quarrying and deposition rather than habitation. This quarrying activity appears to have taken place on an ad hoc basis, to extract the underlying chalk and flint. Iron Age pottery sherds were recovered from several of the quarry pits. In addition, a small assemblage of Roman pottery was recovered from the upper layers of the quarry pits, suggested that they may have remained at least partially open into the Roman period. A single urned cremation was located in a small circular pit and was dated to the Early Iron Age. The pot contained ash and fragments of bone, but also sand and soil that was entirely different to the local geology, suggesting that the cremation was conducted elsewhere and brought See <1> for further details.