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| West Kennet Long Barrow |
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WEST Kennet Long Barrow is one of the largest and most impressive
Neolithic graves in Britain.
Used for over 1000 years, excavations have discovered the human remains
of up to 46 people inside the barrow, the bones sorted into different
groups. Second only to East Kennet Barrow in length, the structure is 100 metres long and located a quarter of a mile from Silbury Hill. Now covered with turf, earlier in its existence the barrow had bare chalk sides and would have stood stark against the landscape. Although, the barrow had a long period of use, it was finally sealed by the huge sarsen stones that can now be seen at its entrance. It is possible to enter the chamber of the barrow, and from the top of the mound there are good views of Silbury, the East Kennet Barrow, the Sanctuary and Windmill Hill. 
The inner chamber, which has four side chambers and an end chamber was
excavated in 1859 and in 1955 - 56.
It is thought the West Kennet Long Barrow was used predominantly by the
Beaker people.
The final Beaker period burial was placed in the north-east chamber of
the tomb before it was closed - the complete skeleton of an elderly man.In a crouched position, the body had a fractured arm, an abcess on one shoulder and deformed toes. It appeared he had died from an arrowhead embedded in the throat. Nearly all of the adult skeletons had arthritis and some even showed signs of spina bifida. Partial remains suggest that parts of the bodies were buried at different times, or that they were later removed from the tomb. The bodies may have also been allowed to rot outside the tomb, and only the dry bones were interred. In 1882 the barrow together with Silbury Hill, came under the protection of the first Ancient Monuments Act, stopping any damage caused by curious visitors. According to folklore, West Kennet Long Barrow is visited by a ghostly white figure with a white red-eared hound on Midsummer's day. He enters the mound at sunrise and may be a folk memory of a ritual event on the solstice. |
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