Bedd Branwen Period facts for kids
The Bedd Branwen Period is a name given to a specific time during the early Bronze Age in Britain. This period lasted from about 1650 BC to 1400 BC. It was named by an archaeologist named Colin Burgess.
This time came after what Burgess called the Overton Period. It was then followed by his Knighton Heath Period.
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What Was the Bedd Branwen Period?
The Bedd Branwen Period happened after the time of the Beaker people. It also followed the early part of the Wessex culture. During this period, a big change happened in how people buried their dead.
How Did People Bury Their Dead?
Before this time, people often buried bodies whole. But during the Bedd Branwen Period, cremation became very common. Cremation means burning the body. After burning, the ashes were often placed in special pots.
Old burial mounds, called round barrows, were often used again. People would place these cremation urns inside them. New round barrows were also still being built for these new types of burials.
What About Pottery and Metal?
Archaeologists have found different types of pottery from this time. Pottery from the Deverel-Rimbury culture started to appear. This new pottery was found alongside older types of pots, like collared urns.
People also got better at working with metals. This was a time when metalworking skills improved a lot. Important metal industries were found in places like Arreton Down and Acton Park. They made tools and weapons from bronze.
A Name Change for the Period
Later on, in 1986, Colin Burgess realized something important. The Bedd Branwen site itself, which the period was named after, was actually dated incorrectly. Most of the burials found at that specific site were older. They belonged to a different time called the Fargo Phase. This phase was from about 1800 BC to 1600 BC. It used to be part of the earlier Overton Period.
Because of this new information, Burgess decided to rename the Bedd Branwen Period. He called it the Aldbourne-Edmondsham phase instead. This new name helps to avoid confusion with the actual Bedd Branwen site.
