Round barrow facts for kids
A round barrow is a type of tumulus, which is a mound of earth or stones built over a burial. These ancient monuments are found all over the world, but many are in Europe. They were popular because they were simple to build and served a common purpose: marking a burial site.
In Britain, most round barrows were built between 2200 BC and 1100 BC. This time period covers the end of the Stone Age (Late Neolithic) and most of the Bronze Age. Later barrows from the Iron Age were often shaped differently, sometimes even square.
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What is a Round Barrow?
A round barrow is basically a round mound of earth or stones built over a burial. The burial is usually placed in the middle of the mound. However, there are many different ways these mounds were built.
How They Were Built
Some barrows have ditches around them. Others have stone kerbs, which are stone edges that hold the mound in place. Some also have flat areas called berms between the ditch and the mound.
Building a barrow could be simple, just piling up material. But sometimes, it was a complex process. Builders might use layers of stone, soil, and turf. They might even use wood or wattle (woven branches) to help keep the structure strong.
What Was Inside?
The burial itself could be placed in a stone chamber or a cist (a small stone box). Sometimes, it was just a grave dug into the ground. Both full bodies (called inhumations) and ashes placed in pots (called cremations) have been found inside.
Many round barrows have extra burials around them or even inside the mound itself. These extra burials might have been added hundreds or thousands of years later by different groups of people.
Different Types of Barrows
There are several types of round barrows, each with a slightly different shape. These include the bell barrow, bowl barrow, saucer barrow, and disc barrow.
Where Can You Find Them?
Denmark's Ancient Mounds
Denmark has many ancient mounds, including round barrows. These barrows were built over a very long time, from the Stone Age (Neolithic) all the way to the Viking Age. Even though they look similar from the outside, their inside construction can be very different. In 1937, a law was passed to protect these important historical sites.
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Loddenhøj near Aarhus. Many smaller round barrows in Denmark are surrounded by farm fields.
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Tinghøjen near Randers. Many barrows are covered by bushes or trees.
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The two round barrows at Jelling are from the Viking Age. They are the newest ones in Denmark.
Britain
In Britain, most round barrows are from the Early Bronze Age. However, some were also built during the Neolithic period. Later on, people from Roman, Viking, and Saxon societies sometimes used these old barrows too.
Examples include Rillaton barrow and Round Loaf. When many round barrows are found close together, the area is called a barrow cemetery.
England's Barrow Cemeteries
Lincolnshire's Round Barrows
Lincolnshire, a county in England, has many notable round barrows. Here are some examples:
- Beacon Hill, near Cleethorpes
- Bully Hill, near Tealby
- Bully Hills, a burial ground near Tathwell
- Burgh on Bain, Barrows near Burgh on Bain
- Burwell Wood, Barrows near Muckton
- Buslingthorpe, near Buslingthorpe
- Butterbumps, a burial ground near Willoughby
- Cleatham Barrow, near Manton
- Donnington-on-Bain, near Donington on Bain
- Folk Moot & Butt Mound, near Silk Willoughby
- Fordington Barrows, near Ulceby
- Grim's Mound, near Burgh on Bain
- Hagworthingham, near Hagworthingham
- Hatcliffe Barrow, near Hatcliffe
- Howe Hill, near Ulceby
- King's Hill, a Barrow/Mound near Bardney
- Ludford Barrow, near Ludford
- Mill Hill, near Claxby
- Revesby Barrows, near Revesby
- Ring Holt, near Dalby
