Monument record TR 04 SW 588 - Six cremation burials, Sevington

Archaeological excavation carried out in 2018/2019 found six cremation burials were discovered, four of which were radiocarbon dated to the middle Bronze Age. Four burials were aligned and may represent a familial group. Six cremation burials were found in the central part of the site, dating to the middle Bronze Age (c. 1320–1010 BC). Four of these were closely aligned, possibly representing a family group, with two containing juveniles and two adults. The cremations were unurned and placed in simple pits, with bone analysis showing efficient, high-temperature burning. Bone weights varied greatly, from token deposits to nearly 1.8kg, suggesting differences in burial practice or status. No grave goods were found, but charcoal analysis indicated alder and hawthorn wood were used as pyre fuel. The cemetery is a good example of a ‘flat’ Bronze Age cremation site. Radiocarbon dating of three burials (10029, 10031, 10040) places them in the middle Bronze Age (c. 1320–1010 cal BC).(1)

<1> Oxford Archaeology, 2021, M20 Junction 10a, near Ashford, Kent Archaeological Excavation Report (Unpublished document). SKE58102.