Recent radiocarbon dating and skeletal analysis of two log coffin burials from Yorkshire: Willie Howe and Towthorpe 139

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the re-analysis and dating of skeletal material from two Early Bronze Age barrows in the east of Yorkshire, which contained log coffin burials. Towthorpe 139, which was investigated in the nineteenth century by the antiquarian JR Mortimer and Willie Howe, Cowlam which was excavated by TCM Brewster in the 1960s. Analysis of the human remains from Towthorpe revealed that the inhumed body was that of an adult male and the cremated remains, which were found in the mound above the log coffin burial were of a young person. Those from Willie Howe were of an adult male who had suffered a blow to the head. Not enough of the Towthorpe burials survived to obtain radiocarbon dates; however, two determinations were obtained on the skeleton from Willie Howe. These dates have revealed that the human remains date to the period ca. 2200–2000 cal BC.

Keywords:

• Log coffins
• Early Bronze Age
• cremation
• inhumation
• grave goods

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Corrigendum

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the British Academy for funding the project. We are very grateful to The East Riding Archaeological Research Trust for giving us permission to reproduce Figure 1 and Terry Manby for making a copy of T C M Brewster’s unpublished excavation report available to us. We would also like to thank Paula Gentil of Hull and East Riding Museum for providing access to the collections and Linda Fibiger for her comments on the injury to the Willie Howe skull.