Wessex culture

The Wessex culture ( also Wessex grave series) was an early Bronze Age culture in southern Britain. They should not be confused with the later Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex.

Kompositobjekte of gold and amber

Burials

The knowledge of the Wessex culture of the first half of the second millennium BC, based solely on grave finds, since settlements have not yet been found. The burials are under grave hills, initially characterized as earthworks, later than cremation, and are characterized by rich grave goods, which often lack the ceramic. Exotic objects such as daggers Armorican, amber and Irish gold and tin kornwalisisches are common, like several materials were combined, such as gold and amber silver and amber or gold and Jet ( lignite ). At the same time burials found with late bell cups and Foodvessels. Dagger graves are usually interpreted as male burials, those without weapons as female.

Origin

Stuart Piggott was traced back to the designated 1938 Wessexkultur an invasion of Brittany. This is now considered outdated. Whether the Wessex burials represent an elite form of late Bell Beaker culture, and their relationship to the burials with Foodvessels is controversial. Overall, the Wessex burials fit in well in the circle of rich Early Bronze Age ( Reinecke A1) burials, as they are also known from Brittany ( dagger graves of the series I), singing and Unetice area ( Leubingen, Helmsdorf ).

Trade

The carriers of the Wessex culture seem to have an extensive traded with mainland Europe, so amber jewelry from Germany, daggers from Brittany and gold was from the Baltic States, found from Ireland. Faience, which was held earlier for Mycenaean imports, are local products. They are also found in Brittany and in the Netherlands ( Exloermond, Drenthe).

Places of worship

The wealth gained through trade allowed the Wessexleuten probably the expansion of the third phase of Stonehenge.

Social structure

Even a developed social organization can be adopted to organize such a far- reaching trade. Colin Renfrew postulated the social evolution matic model of Elman Fried following, early chiefdoms ( chiefdoms ).

Chronology

Arthur ApSimon hit 1954 before a breakdown in Wessex 1, connected with copper utensils of Willerby - horizon, and Wessex 2, combined with the Arreton type. The division into Wessex I and II can no longer hold in the light of 14C data. A 14Datum of human bones from the central burial of West Overton hill G1, the Wessex I is assigned, provided a date of 3550 ± 35 BP ( suerc - 26203 ).

Important Locations

• Bush Barrow, Wiltshire
• Norton Bavant Borrow Pit, Wiltshire
• Roundway G8 Barrow, Wiltshire
• West Overton Barrow ( G1), Wiltshire