Black and white

Acc.no: PEZPH : 2016.50.983

Identification

Item: Harlyn Bay Excavation, Cornwall

Description: This photograph is part of a series (2016.50.982,983,984&985) showing a coffin with skeleton from an excavation at Harlyn Bay. In August 1900, an important archaeological discovery was made near Harlyn Bay when excavating for water for a house to be built. The workmen had removed 10-12 feet of sand when they exposed a slate coffin containing a skeleton. Later excavations that took place sporadically between 1900 and 1905 revealed that this was the largest iron age burial site in Cornwall. Discovered at the site were: 130 burials with corpses (adults and children) mostly crouched with hands to north in stone lined graves covered with stone slabs. Sometimes the bones had been rearranged; Some graves were on top of others so the site had been used for some time; Grave goods including brooches, bracelets, ring earring, glass bead, weaving comb of horn, four spindle whorls, a small piece of tine ore, and numerous shells; the likely date was about 100BC - 100AD. An advertisement by Gibson & Sons shows that this set of photographs was probably taken late September or early October 1900. The findings had drawn in crowds (see 2016.50.985). Unfortunately the archaeological excavation was undertaken in a very amateur manner with items sometimes purloined by visitors or subsequently lost.

Condition: Good

Description

Material: Photographic paper

Production

Method: Printed

Category: Photography

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