Bronze Age burial site discovered at Afonwen Farm

Two large burial urns from the Early Bronze Age were found on Afonwen Farm land during the A497 road improvements.

We have confirmation now that one was a Cremation Urn which had skeletal remains of an adult male. The second was a food vessel urn with internal and external decoration. What a find!!

We received the following email and photos from the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust:

Dear Mr Parry,

Thank you very much for your email about the Afonwen cremation urns.

I have attached several photographs. Two show the urns as they are all cleaned up, while others show them during excavation in the ground. They were lifted by a specialist conservator who covered them in plaster to make sure they did not get damaged as they were lifted. The contents of the urns were then excavated in the conservation laboratory and there is a photo showing the cremated bone being revealed inside one urn. I hope these will be useful for the children to show at school and of interest to yourself.

Jane Kenney
Senior Archaeologist
Ymddiriedolaeth Archaeolegol Gwynedd / Gwynedd Archaeological Trust