Black and white

Acc.no: PEZPH : 2016.50.985

Identification

Item: Harlyn Bay Excavation, Cornwall

Description: This photograph is part of a series (2016.50.982,983,984&985) showing a crowd of people drawn to the excavation. 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. 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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