Bartlow Hills facts for kids
The Bartlow Hills are an amazing ancient Roman cemetery located in Bartlow, Cambridgeshire, England. This site is famous for its large burial mounds, also known as tumuli or barrows. These mounds were built by the Romans a very long time ago.
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What Are the Bartlow Hills?
The Bartlow Hills are a group of large mounds where important Roman people were buried. Originally, there were seven of these mounds. Today, four of them are still standing. The three biggest mounds are open for everyone to visit and explore.
Exploring the Ancient Mounds
The smallest mound is on private land, so it's not easy to see. You can also spot the remains of two other mounds. They look like low bumps in the ground. The tallest mound at Bartlow Hills is about 15 metres (50 ft) high. That's as tall as a four-story building! It's actually the biggest Roman burial mound found north of the Alps mountains.
Discoveries from the Past
People started digging at Bartlow Hills in the 1800s. Between 1832 and 1840, archaeologists found some incredible things inside the mounds. They discovered parts of large wooden chests. They also found beautiful decorated items made of bronze, glass, and pottery. Even an iron folding chair was uncovered! Sadly, many of these amazing finds were lost in a fire in 1847.
The Roman Villa Nearby
In 1852, archaeologists also found a small Roman villa near the mounds. A villa was like a large country house for wealthy Romans. This villa was used until the late 300s AD. More recently, in 2006 and 2007, new studies were done at the site. However, these studies did not find the exact spot of the old Roman villa.
