Blog Archive

Henge: A circular Earthwork, often with a ditch and bank, used for ceremonial or ritual purposes. Henges are associated with Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures and are often found in association with burial mounds.

Earthworks: Large-scale earth constructions, often including burial mounds, ceremonial sites, or defensive structures. These works can encompass vast areas and reflect significant cultural investment.

Megalithic Tomb:  A large stone structure, often a chamber covered by a mound, used for burial. These structures are associated with ancient burial practices and often reflect advanced construction techniques.

Plague Mound:  A burial mound created during times of epidemic, such as the Black Death, often containing mass graves of victims. These mounds serve as grim reminders of historical pandemics.

Cairn: A Pile of stones, often used as a grave marker or memorial. Can range in size from small heaps to large, monumental structures.

D-shaped Barrow: A type of tumulus with a distinctive D-shape, often featuring a flat or straight edge. The significance of the shape is still debated among archaeologists.

Steppe Kurgans (Eurasian Tumuli): These are large, often monumental burial mounds found across the Eurasian steppe. They date from the Bronze Age to the early medieval periods, and are understood to be elite burials of nomadic tribes (e.g. Scythians, Sarmatians) with rich artifacts and horse burials. They can be found in Eastern Europe, especially Ukraine, southern …

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Ring Barrows: These consist of a ring-shaped bank and ditch, with little or no central mound. They date from the late Bronze Age into the Iron Age and may have had ceremonial or symbolic functions, possibly as cenotaphs. They are found in Ireland, Britain, and northern France.

Disc Barrows: These have low, wide circular features defined by a ditch and bank with one or more small central mounds. They date from the Later Bronze Age, and are frequently ceremonial, with fewer or no burials. They are found mostly in southern Britain and are rare elsewhere.

Bell Barrows: These are a subtype of Round Barrow with a prominent mound separated from an encircling ditch by a flat platform (berm). They are mainly Bronze Age in date, and are often associated with single, prestigious burials and grave goods. These are particularly common in southern England.