Monument record 0086800400 - YEWDEN VILLA
Summary
Ninety-seven Roman infant burials recorded in excavation of Yewden Villa
Protected Status/Designation
- Ancient Monument 1014606: ROMAN VILLA NORTH OF YEWDEN LODGE
Map
Type and Period (2)
- BURIAL (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- INHUMATION CEMETERY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
Description
N PART OF SITE LITTERED WITH BABY SKELETONS, MOSTLY IN THE YARD (10:000). MOSTLY NEWLY BORN. A FEW LAID AT LENGTH, BUT MOST IN A BUNDLE, PRESUMABLY WRAPPED IN A CLOTH (B1).
SOME BONES FROM PREMATURE BABIES SUGGESTING ABORTION (B17).
Infant remains from 62 contexts located and preliminary examination carried out by Simon Mayes of English Heritage in April 2008. 37 represent articulated burials and 25 are isolated bones or bone fragments. Of the 37 burials, 34 are perinatal and the remainder aged approx 1, 2 and 6 years. Further assessment required (B24).
Detailed analysis suggests a high percentage of infant deaths occurred at full term, supporting the interpretation of deliberate infanticide at Yewden (B25-26).
Sources (6)
- <1>SBC3070 Article in serial: Alfred Heneage Cocks. 1921. 'A ROMANO-BRITISH HOMESTEAD IN THE HAMBLEDEN VALLEY', IN ARCHAEOLOGIA 71 PP141-198. Vol 71.
- <17>SBC6893 Unpublished document: Arthur Keith. Undated. 'REPORT ON THE HUMAN REMAINS DISCOVERED...DURING EXCAVATIONS OF THE ROMAN SITE AT YEWDEN, HAMBLEDEN.
- <24>SBC23527 Unpublished document: Simon Mays. October 2008. Romans in the Hambleden Valley Project. pp57-58.
- <25>SBC24017 Article in serial: Simon Mays & Jill Eyers. 2011. 'Perinatal Infant Death at the Roman Villa Site at Hambleden', in Journal of Archaeological Science 38 pp1931-1938. Vol 38.
- <26>SBC24018 Article in serial: Jill Eyers & Simon Mays. 2011. 'Infanticide in Roman Britain?: The Yewden Villa Babies', in Current Archaeology 260 pp28-33. Issue 260.
- <29>SBC24373 Article in serial: Agnieszka Tomas. 2013. 'Armia rzymska i prostytucja – mit czy rzeczywistość?', in Archeo U W (Journal of the University of Warsaw, Institute of Archaeology). No 1.
Location
| Grid reference | SU 78450 85550 (point) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | HAMBLEDEN, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (1)
- Event - Intervention: Excavation (EBC1000)
Record last edited
Apr 26 2018 7:28PM
