Tinkinswood (G-B) : Digging deep to uncover Stone Age Vale

Digging deep at Tinkinswood to uncover Stone Age Vale

Photos Archaeology Wales

Source - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15665467 

Conservation and excavation work has been taking place around the Neolithic (New Stone Age) remains at Tinkinswood in the Vale of Glamorgan during October and November 2011. British Trust for Conservation Volunteers cleared trees and vegetation to give the public better access to the site.

The burial chamber, about 6,000 years old, has one of the largest capstones in Europe, weighing around 40 tonnes. It was originally excavated in 1914, when the remains of 50 men, women and children were found.

Cadw commissioned Archaeology Wales to re-examine the site, to see if these stones were the remains of a second, fallen burial chamber

After closer investigation, the team ruled out a Neolithic burial chamber, but believe they found an early Bronze Age barrow dating back 4,000 years

Among the other material found was a Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) microlith - a tool used by hunter-gatherers to make arrows or knives about 10,000 years ago

Another pile of stones hidden by trees was uncovered, but archaeologists think these were merely cleared from the field by farmers and piled up on a natural rock outcrop

Test pits were also dug in a possible quarry - although flint, pottery and modern iron were found, there was no evidence that the area was used to produce the capstone for Tinkinswood's chambered tomb