Possible Late Iron Age burial, near The Towers, Heybridge (EHER 7814)

A collection of finds including an amphora, the handle of a flagon, the handle to a patera, and a possibly modern vase have been interpreted as belonging to a rich 'Belgic' (Late Iron Age) burial.

A collection of finds have been interpreted as belonging to a rich 'Belgic' (Late Iron Age) burial. <1> The finds are described below. Fragments of two bronze vessels (similar to finds from Pleshey - see 0000) were donated to Colchester Museum by Mr E.H. Bentall and were probably found on his land, 'The Towers' (EHER 46205). One is the handle of a flagon, in the form of a crouching harpy, probably associated with fragments of a trefoil-mouthed flagon. The second group of fragments represent a shallow pan (patera): a stout, tubular handle and a fragment of the base with much of an elaborately chased star motif. <2> <3> The flagon handle is in Colchester Museum. Notes by Hull indicate that originally there were fragments of the rim also, showing it was trefoil-mouthed, and of the neck and shoulder which seem to have been flat on top, then sharply angled. It is illustrated in source <1>, taken from an original by Hull, which may be a reconstruction based on the Pleshey flagon. In fact there are two harpies on the handle, one clasping the rim, the other crouching at the base. A parallel at Winchester is suggested as having a first half of 1st century AD date. <3> <4> <5> The patera handle terminal, probably in the shape of a ram's or dog's head, is missing. The patera is very similar to an example from Pleshey associated with a bronze flagon (see above) and apparently with Tibero-Claudian pottery. There is a strong probability that the patera and flagon belong to a rich Belgic burial, conforming to a 'genre' widespread in south-east Britain in the mid 1st century AD. It is likely that the Koan amphora was associated (though not proven). If so, the group would seem to be genuinely of this date. It is also possible that the two bronze vessels were from Bentall's private collection. <1> <3> <4> <5> According to OS card an amphora described as perfect, 34" high, 43" in circumference, was found in digging the foundations of Mr Bentall's house in 1873. <6> <7> The amphora is wine amphora of Koan type (Dressel 2-4, fabric 3) and was found by E.H. Bentall some years before 1873 (<4>). <1> <3> <4> <5> A third bronze vase, with two handles, Greek in character, is mentioned in a catalogue of 1888 as being presented by Bentall but the word 'modern' has been mentioned alongside it and no other mention of a similar vessel appears in print. <1> <3> <4> <5> See also <8> <9>. Site Assessment: Possibly a Late Iron Age Welwyn type burial. With other discoveries from the area, these finds are evidence for considerable Late Iron Age settlement at Heybridge. <1> Note: The burial may represent an earlier phase of the 3rd century inhumation cemetery EHER 7813. NRHE data transfer: September 1976. Field survey. No further finds have been reported from the area. <10>