Record Details
| NHER Number: | 5191 |
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| Type of record: | Find Spot |
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| Name: | Bronze Age cauldron and flesh hook |
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Summary
A Bronze Age bronze cauldron was found during ploughing. The upper part was broken by the plough but fragments including the two handles were retrieved. Inside the more complete lower part of the cauldron was a Bronze Age bronze fleshhook with part of its wooden handle still intact. The hollow in which the cauldron was placed may have been deliberately lined with reeds. The results of radiocarbon dating on the wooden handle of one fleshhook indicated that the implement was of Middle Bronze Age date.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TL 6949 9085 |
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| Map Sheet: | TL69SE |
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| Parish: | FELTWELL, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Note before correction by E. B. Green (NCM) site was given same reference number as NHER 5277.
E. Rose (NAU), 1961.
Bronze cauldron (Leeds type A) ploughed up, field had been permanent pasture, rotated and then ploughed. The upper part had been removed but many fragments and two handles were found. A bronze hook with part of the wooden handle still in socket was found in the cauldron, (S1). The impression of the lower part of the cauldron was found in the chalky grey clay which underlay the foot of very unified peat. The hollow may have been deliberately lined with reeds, remains of which were found in the copper impregnated clay. Site excavated September 22 when more bronze fragments and impression were found.
See (S2).
E. B. Green (NCM).
Residues from the cauldron were analysed by the Department of Scientific Research at the British Museum.
Details to come.
K. Hamilton (NLA) 19 March 2009.
November 2001. Radiocarbon dating.
One of the fleshook handles was Middle Bronze Age with a radiocarbon date of 1391–1126 cal BC at 95% probability (OxA-10859; 3013 +/- 36 BP).
See (S5) for details.
S. Howard (NLA), 21 December 2009. Amended by A. Beckham (HES), 6 October 2021.
For further information on scientific analysis of the flesh-hooks see (S3), (S4) and (S5).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 30 March 2009.
Black material recovered from inside the hollow rim of the cauldron was analysed and found to be carbonised food residue containing animal fat.
See (S6).
S. Howard (NLA), 10 September 2010.
Monument Types
- FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
- FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
- FINDSPOT (Middle Bronze Age - 1600 BC to 1001 BC) + Sci.Date
Associated Finds
- CAULDRON (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
- PLANT REMAINS (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
- RING (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
- FLESH HOOK (Middle Bronze Age - 1390 BC to 1120 BC) + Sci.Date
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Evening News. 1961. Bronze Age cauldron ploughed up. 28 September. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1961. Bronze Age cauldron found at Feltwell. 29 September. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Evening News. 1961. [unknown]. 29 September. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Bronze Age. Feltwell. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Illustration: Milligan, W.. 1971. Drawing of a Bronze Age bronze flesh hook.. Card. 1:1. |
| <S2> | Photograph: M 1873, M. 1874, CM 1184 to 1187. |
| <S3> | Article in Serial: Needham, S. & Bowman, S.. 2005. Fleshhooks, technological complexity and the Atlantic Bronze Age feasting complex.. European Journal of Archaeology. Vol 8. |
| <S4> | Article in Serial: Bowman, S. & Needham, S.. 2007. The Dunaverney and Little Thetford fleshhooks: history, technology and the their position within the Later Bronze Age Atlantic zone feasting complex.. The Antiquaries Journal. Vol 87. pp 53-108. |
| <S5> | Correspondence: Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit. 2001. Letter from the Oxford University Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit. Results of Feltwell, Norfolk, NGR TL 6947 9085.. 21 November 2001. |
| <S6> | Unpublished Document: Stacey, R.. 2005. British Museum Report No. AR2005/20. Report on the analysis of black material from a cauldron found at Feltwell, Norfolk in 1961.. March. |
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