Skull from body 2, probably male, from Nutbane long barrow, near Penton Grafton, Hampshire, neolithic. The south east skeleton; all the molars on the left side of the mandible had been lost in life, and even the premolars were very deeply worn; these features suggest an age of 40 to 50 years, possibly more - a good old age for a neolithic individual. The skull was full of earth, and a patella, kneecap, possibly of the same individual, was embedded in it, well within the brain cavity; the skeleton was in a crouched position, and it is feasible that the patella was near enough to the head to have been intruded some time after burial, perhaps due to disturbance caused by later burials; it seem certain that not all bodies were buried simultaneously.
body 4, skeleton, long bones, from Nutbane long barrow, near Penton Grafton, Hampshire, neolithic.
These items are currently on loan to researchers at the University of Birmingham and University of Leicester for a study on Early Neolithic (c. 4000-3400 BCE) mortuary practices.
This project uses advanced x-ray imaging to look at the internal structures of the human bone to a scale less than a 10th of a human hair. These images will show us how the bones have changed since these people died more than 5,500 years ago.
This study helps us reconstruct the story of the people buried at Nutbane long barrow. By understanding these microscopic clues, we can better understand whether these individuals were buried immediately or if they were part of complex processes involving long periods of care and interaction before their final burial.