Founded 1906
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Link to East Brighton Golf Club - EBGC
Story from the Evening Argus (Monday 6th October 2003) by kind permission of the Evening Argus Buried for 5,000 years Detective work at ancient grave site It was a smile that had not been seen for more than 5,000 years. The ancient and largely intact skull of a teenager emerged from tile earth of the hills above Brighton on Saturday. Builders undertaking initial excavation work at East Brighton Golf Club bad disturbed the remains earlier in the week as archaeologists investigated the site, an ancient burial ground. Members of Brighton and Hove Archaeology Society had been invited to examine the area ear-marked for the golf club's new equipment shed. After removing earth in the side of the hill they discovered pieces of bone visible in a grave measuring 6 ft by 18in. Initial examination suggested the remains could date back to Neolithic, Saxon or Roman times. Work to excavate the grave began on Friday and by the following day the team were able to take a fascinating glimpse into the past as they carefully removed the soil surrounding the skeleton. Its crouched foetal-like position dates the remains to the Neolithic period of 3000 to 3500 BC Archaeologists were still unable to tell if the remains were male or female but said the person was younger than 22 at the time of death, most probably 18 or 19. The teeth were almost perfectly intact, though closer examination revealed one missing where the person may have had an abscess. It was unclear whether a dent in the side of the skull was caused before or after burial. Parts of what appeared to be a necklace were found near the body, as were broken pottery and a knife blade. John Funnel, of the archaeology society, said: "The skeleton has been badly cut by the diggers but we've got the skull. the legs and hopefully the arms. The body has lain there for 5,000 to 6,000 years." by Deborah Tucknott deborah.tucknott@theargus.co.uk
|
