Ian Kinnes’s scientific contributions

In 1999, after the felling of the pine trees which had covered and protected it until then, this long barrow presented a breach, evidence of the early 20th-century exploration of the monument. It was decided merely to clear this trench in order to define the barrow's internal structure and verify the presence of a possible burial chamber before filling in the breach to consolidate the tumulus. The exceptional state of conservation of a monument which is not at present under threat and presents architectural characteristics which are, if not unique, at least too rarely attested, induced us to preserve this long barrow without carrying out any extensive excavations. No trace of a funerary chamber was revealed in this south-western end, which is both the highest and widest part of the monument. On the other hand, the investigation has revealed a specific method of construction for the monument, known in the British Isles but rarely represented in France and nowhere as well preserved. A central dome composed only of superposed turfs forms the core of the monument, and may have held a burial which has since disappeared. It is topped with a second covering, which we consider to be closely associated with the dome and more or less contemporary with it, composed of a grid of turf partitions which mark out quadrangular compartments filled with pulverulent limestone. Sedimentological analysis has not enabled us to follow in detail the history of the barrow's construction, but has shed considerable light on its composition. No archaeological artefacts associated with the monument's period of construction have been discovered, but two C14 dates on anthropological material place the erection of this monumental sepulchre around 4500 BC.

In 1999, after the felling of the pine trees which had covered and protected it until then, this long barrow presented a breach, evidence of the early 20th-century exploration of the monument. It was decided merely to clear this trench in order to define the barrow 's internal structure and verify the presence of a possible burial chamber before filling in the breach to consolidate the tumulus. The exceptional state of conservation of a monument which is not at present under threat and presents architectural characteristics which are, if not unique, at least too rarely attested, induced us to preserve this long barrow without carrying out any extensive excavations. No trace of a funerary chamber was revealed in this south-western end, which is both the highest and widest part of the monument. On the other hand, the investigation has revealed a specific method of construction for the monument, known in the British Isles but rarely represented in France and nowhere as well preserved. A central dome composed only of superposed turfs forms the core of the monument, and may have held a burial which has since disappeared. It is topped with a second covering, which we consider to be closely associated with the dome and more or less contemporary with it, composed of a grid of turf partitions which mark out quadrangular compartments filled with pulverulent limestone. Sedimentological analysis has not enabled us to follow in detail the history of the barrow s construction, but has shed considerable light on its composition. No archaeological artefacts associated with the monument's period of construction have been discovered, but two C14 dates on anthropological material place the erection of this monumental sepulchre around 4500 ВС.

Ce long tumulus presentait en 1999, a l'issue de la coupe du bois de pins qui jusque la le recouvrait et le protegeait, une trouee qui temoignait de l'exploration du monument au debut du siecle. Il fut decide de degager simplement cette saignee afin de preciser la structure interne du tumulus et de verifier la presence d'un eventuel caveau avant de combler la breche pour consolider le tumulus. L'exceptionnelle conservation d'un monument aujourd'hui non menace et aux caracteristiques architecturales sinon uniques, du moins trop rarement attestees, nous a conduit a preserver ce long tumulus sans y mener une fouille de trop grande ampleur. Aucune trace de caveau funeraire n'a ete mise en evidence dans cette extremite sud-ouest, qui est la partie a la fois la plus haute et la plus large du monument. En revanche, le diagnostic a revele un mode de construction du monument tres particulier, connu dans les iles Britanniques mais peu represente en France et nulle part aussi bien preserve. Un dome central compose uniquement de plaques herbeuses superposees constitue le cœur du monument et abritait peut-etre une sepulture detruite. Il est coiffe par une seconde chape, que nous considerons comme etroitement associee au dome et a peu pres contemporaine, formee d'un maillage de cloisons en mottes herbeuses qui delimitent des compartiments quadrangulaires bourres de calcaire pulverulent. L'analyse sedimentologique ne permet pas de tracer dans le detail l'histoire de la construction du long tumulus mais en eclaire singulierement la composition. Aucun mobilier archeologique associe a la periode de construction du monument n 'a ete decouvert mais deux dates 14 C, sur du materiel anthropologique, situent l'erection de ce sepulcre monumental vers 4500 avant J.-C.