Wiltshire Museum is in Prehistory.
The Wiltshire Museum, formerly known as Wiltshire Heritage Museum and Devizes Museum, is a museum, archive and library and art gallery in Devizes, Wiltshire, England.
The museum was established and is run by the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (WANHS), a registered charity founded in 1853.
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm.
All photos sourced from the Wiltshire Museum.
DZSWS:STHEAD.30. Long Necked Beaker decorated with a band of chevrons bordered by lines around the rim, below the waist and around the base, a band of lozenge shapes around neck and cross-hatching around the body, all using comb and fingernail impressions, found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Durrington G36 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.85b. 1 thin broad-bladed flint dagger with a sharp edge, found with a primary inhumation (metal worker?) in a flat grave under a sarsen at Durrington Walls, excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.85c. 1 convex v-perforated shale button, found with a primary inhumation in a flat grave under a sarcen at Durrington Walls, excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.92. 1 Aldbourne (incense?) cup (distorted by pressure) perforated twice for suspension and decorated with a band of incised zigzags around the flared inner lip and chevrons around the outside of the lip (every other zigzag or chevron of which contained impressed dots) and two bands around the waist - one plain and one with chevrons (below which are a line of dots), found with a primary (?) cremation in bowl barrow Durrington G65c [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.101. 1 perforated antler pick (ground to an edge at the point and perforated for a handle at the larger end) found with a primary or secondary inhumation in bowl barrow Durrington G50 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.176. 1 Collared Urn with high shoulders and decorated with 10 cord impressed lines around overhanging collar, found with a primary cremation inside in bowl barrow Durrington G11 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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DZSWS:STHEAD.205. 22 fragments of a coarse linen cloth bag (or casts of cloth formed by lime carbonate) woven with double thread, found wrapping a primary cremation in an MBA collared urn in bowl barrow Durrington G11 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.223. 3 pestle-shaped shale pendants (bored through one side, but not the centre) found near the neck of a secondary (?) inhumation in saucer barrow Durrington G14 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.223a. 1 globular jet bead (split in half) found near the neck of a secondary (?) inhumation in saucer barrow Durrington G14 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.240. 1 miniature cup with two shoulder ridges, found with an (MBA) collared urn and secondary cremation in bowl barrow Durrington G36 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.356. 1 food vessel, undecorated thick ware with a square flared rim and slight waist rim, found with secondary cremation in barrow Durrington H35, unlocated, excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.21. 1 bronze dagger (class 2) with three rivets and four grooves either side of a central ridge decorated with impressed dots, found with a primary cremation placed in a wooden box covered in clay in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G4 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.21a. 1 bone tweezers (broken) perforated at head for suspension, found with a primary cremation placed in a wooden box covered in clay in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G4 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.22. 2 fragments of a bone pommel with bronze rivets, found with a primary cremation placed in a wooden box covered in clay in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G4 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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DZSWS:STHEAD.23. 1 bronze dagger with 3 grooves either side and no ridge, found with a primary inhumation (in an elm trunk coffin) in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G5 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.24. 1 bronze dagger with 3 grooves either side and no ridge, found with a primary inhumation (in an elm trunk coffin) in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G5 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.25. 1 bronze awl with bone handle, found with a primary inhumation (in an elm trunk coffin) in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G5 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.39 1 long necked beaker with 11 bands of parallel impressed marks between comb impressed lines covering its abdominally convex body and high brim with diagonal impressions along the rim found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G54 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.48. 1 miniature (incense?) cup with thick sides, a flat rim and a sharply projecting waist but no decoration, found with a primary cremation in the central tump of three tumps in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G14 [Map] (?), excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.49. 1 flat whetstone of green Siliceous Stone (fine grained) found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G8 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.49a. 1 flat white quartzite whetstone found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G8 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.49b. 1 bi-conical bone bead found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G8 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.67. 3 beads made from sectioning a fossil encrinite stem (or sea lily) found in a primary deposit (no inhumation) in (confluent) bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G64a [Map] (i), excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.68. 18 clay beads (48 originally discovered) found in a primary deposit (no inhumation) in (confluent) bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G64a [Map] (i), excavated by William Cunnington.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
DZSWS:STHEAD.69. 22 fossil dentalium beads found in a primary deposit (no inhumation) in (confluent) bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G64a [Map] (i), excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.69a. 1 saucer-shaped incense cup (broken) decorated with three lines of impressed cord around its with broad flat rim, found with a primary cremation in Bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G64b [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.70. 5 rings of Kimmeridge shale (one of which was perforated for suspension) found with a wrapped primary cremation under an inverted urn in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G67 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.70a. 1 conical button of Kimmerage shale (v-bored on base) found with a wrapped primary cremation under an inverted urn in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G67 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.70b. 1 rough bowl-shaped incense cup decorated with irregular squares of impressed dots around one side and smaller squares, crosses and other shapes around the other (the thick rim also has lines of impressed dots around it) found with a primary cremation under an inverted MBA urn in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G68 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.70c. 1 spherical amber bead found with a wrapped primary cremation under an inverted urn in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G67 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.70d. 1 bone pin with flat head and bevelled perforation (broken in half) found with a primary cremation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G58 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.70e. 3 segmented faience beads (2 four segment & 1 three segment bead) found with a wrapped primary cremation under an inverted urn in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G67 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.71. 1 reversible incense cup, with its inside base at waist height allowing it to be used upside down, decorated with impressed cord in two bands of zigzags with two parallel lines either side of each and one around the inside rim (also perforated four times for suspension) found with a primary cremation in Bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G65 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
DZSWS:STHEAD.71a. 1 fragment of red deer antler found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G56 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.72. 2 double ended slate whetstones with round ends, flat one side and convex on the other, found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G54 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.73. 2 red burnished potsherds from a Breton Urn, one with a loop for suspension (there would have been five) found with a primary inhumation (in an elm trunk coffin) in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G5 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.75a. 1 sandstone whetstone rubbed flat on two sides found with a primary (?) cremation in long barrow Winterbourne Stoke G53 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.75b. 1 flint hammerstone found with a primary (?) cremation in long barrow Winterbourne Stoke G53 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.76. 1 curved flint knife with finely worked edges, possibly found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G54 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.78. 11 pieces of fossilised wood found above a primary inhumation (in an elm trunk coffin) in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G5 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.78a. 2 fragments of sheet bronze, found over a secondary inhumation in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke G4 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.79. 1 glass bead with blue and white spiral pattern, found with (?) a Saxon (?) primary cremation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G23a [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.79a. 1 Aldbourne incense cup with vertical lines of dots between two pairs parallel lines of impressed cord on the outside (the lower half containing diagonal hatchings of cord and two perforations) and a wide flared rim decorated with zigzags between two pairs of parallel impressed cord lines on the inside found with a primary (?) cremation in Bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G16a [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
DZSWS:STHEAD.80. 1 bronze knife dagger with two rivet holes, one rivet and a broken point, found with a primary cremation placed in a wooden box covered in clay in bell barrow Winterbourne Stoke [Map] G4, excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.82. 1 miniature cup (incense cup?) without decoration found with a primary cremation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G58 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.83. 1 triangular arrowhead without barbs, found in a empty (disturbed) cist in bowl barrow, Winterbourne Stoke G42 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.86. 1 bronze knife dagger with 3 rivet holes and one rivet remaining (broken in three places) found with a primary cremation (in an upright food vessel) in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G66 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.86a. 1 bone pommel with 5 rivet holes in both sides and two in the end found with a primary cremation (in an upright food vessel) in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G66 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.99 1 miniature cup (or incense cup) with three lines of cord impressions around a thick collared rim and one below and diagonal cord impressions on the thick rim top found with a primary cremation in central tump of three tumps in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G14 [Map] (?), excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.130. 1 polished stone macehead of greenstone, ground to an oblong oval shape and pierced by a small, almost central, hole (unfinished), from material in Bowl Barrow G13 Winterbourne Stoke [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.178. 1 shale belt ring with a single groove around edge and a perforation through side (+ another attempted hole), found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G54 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.187. 1 incense or 'grape cup' of rough yellow ware (broken) with nodules around the lower half and some perforations between them, found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G8 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
DZSWS:STHEAD.187a. 1 bronze awl, shaped like a javelin with both ends pointed (one broken), found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G8 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.187b. 1 pair of beaver incisors (made into a ring?) found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G8 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.210. 1 conical v-perforated shale button, found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G54 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.226. 1 fossil shell (Rhynconella) (of two found - one lost) found with a primary inhumation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G8 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.228. 1 bronze awl with a square tang and fragments of a bone handle attached, found with a primary cremation (female?) inside an Enlarged food vessel urn in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G28 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.249. 1 Enlarged food vessel with flared notched rim (with vertical cuts) and 2 similar notched shoulder rims and small base found with secondary cremation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G13 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.249a. 4 amber beads and 2 V-perforated amber buttons (like shale buttons) created by splitting a large amber bead in half, found with primary cremations in two tumps (out of three) in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G14 [Map] (?), excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.261. 1 crude Collared Urn decorated with an irregular overhanging rim and sharp shoulder with irregular line around body found with primary cremation in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G47, excavated by William Cunnington.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
DZSWS:STHEAD.263. 1 food vessel with wide spreading rim containing stab marks and two ridges notched with finger impressions around waist, found inverted over a secondary cremation near the surface in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G24 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.264. 1 Enlarged Food Vessel with a band of chevrons around the neck, two bands around the outer rim, one band around the inner rim and bands of diagonal lines around the rim, waist and base, found with a primary cremation (female?) inside in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G28 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.264b. 4 flint scrapers found with a primary cremation (woman?) in an upright collared urn in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G28 [Map], excavated by H.Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.264c. 4 flint flakes found with a primary cremation (woman?) in an upright collared urn in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G28 [Map], excavated by H.Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.264d. 1 flint scraper found with a primary cremation (woman?) in an upright collared urn in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G28 [Map], excavated by H.Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.264e. 1 pot sherd of Grooved Ware found with a primary cremation (woman?) in an upright collared urn in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G28 [Map], excavated by H. Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.264f. Base of ox (bos longitrons) skull found with a primary cremation (in an upright collared urn) in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G28 [Map], excavated by H. Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.264g. 1 sacrum of a swan found with a primary cremation (woman?) in an upright collared urn in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G28 [Map], excavated by H. Cunnington.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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DZSWS:STHEAD.264h. 1 fragment of stonehenge diabase (preselite) found with a primary cremation (woman?) in an upright collared urn in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G28 [Map], excavated by H. Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.274. 1 Long Necked Beaker decorated with three bands of incised and three bands of comb impressed vertical lines and one rough band of double incised zigzags, found with two primary inhumations in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G10 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.276. 1 food vessel with no decoration, found with a primary cremation in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G59a [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.329. 2 rings of Kimmerage shale found with a primary cremation under an inverted MBA urn in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G68 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.329a. 4 segmented faience beads found with a primary cremation under an inverted MBA urn in disc barrow Winterbourne Stoke G68 [Map], excavated by William Cunnington.
DZSWS:STHEAD.334. 1 miniature cup (incense cup?) in fragments with triangle patterns made with impressed dots found with a primary skeleton placed in a boat-shaped coffin in bowl barrow Winterbourne Stoke G9, excavated by William Cunnington.