Whispers of the Ancients: Exploring the Secrets of Neolithic Long Barrows in the UK

Imagined Neolithic Ritual at a Long Barrow

Introduction

Imagine a lush, verdant landscape at dusk, the sky painted with shades of deep purple and orange. In front of the West Kennet Long Barrow, a group of Neolithic people gathers, their figures cloaked in simple, earth-toned garments adorned with natural symbols and beads. They form a circle, holding hands, as flickering torches cast dancing shadows on the ancient stones. The air is thick with the scent of burning herbs, and soft sounds of drums and chanting fill the atmosphere, creating a rhythmic heartbeat...

These are the Long Barrows—some of the earliest forms of megalithic construction in the UK. They are monumental resting places for the deceased and serve as significant ceremonial and territorial markers for early farming communities. As we unravel the layers of history encapsulated in these structures, we will explore how archaeological discoveries, led by influential figures such as Stuart Piggott and Julian Thomas, have unveiled the complexities of social organisation, religious practices, and technological advancements among Neolithic societies. Through a study of their construction, orientation, and the artifacts found within, I aim to highlight the multifaceted roles these Long Barrows played in the cultural landscape of early Britain.

A Journey Through Time: The Origins of Long Barrows

Long Barrows were constructed during the early to middle Neolithic period, typically between 4000 and 2400 BCE. This era marked a significant shift from Palaeolithic mobile hunter-gatherer societies to settled farming communities. The emergence of new burial and ritual practices included the construction of monumental megalithic tombs, which stand as testaments to the effort, persistence, and power of these early societies.

In southern Britain, the construction of Long Barrows coincided with the arrival of new cultural practices from continental Europe, notably the "Linearbandkeramik" (LBK) culture. This early Neolithic farming culture, originating in Central Europe around 5500–4500 BCE, spread across a wide area, including present-day Germany, Poland, Austria, and parts of France. The LBK people were pioneers in agriculture, cultivating crops like wheat and barley, and domesticating animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats. Their influence likely shaped the construction of British Long Barrows, reflecting a broader transformation from hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities.

Long Barrow

Types of Long Barrows 

British Long Barrows can be categorized into key types based on construction methods and regional characteristics. Archaeologist Glyn Daniel developed a classification system identifying two main types: earthen long barrows and chambered long barrows.

Earthen Long Barrows: Found primarily in southern and eastern England, these simple mounds constructed of earth and turf, like Belas Knap in Gloucestershire, typically lack internal chambers and were primarily used as communal burial sites.

Chambered Long Barrows: Predominantly located in western and northern Britain, these long barrows feature stone-built burial chambers often lined with large megaliths. Paul Ashbee’s work on Wayland’s Smithy and Maeshowe in Orkney illustrates the complexity of these structures, with multiple chambers and elaborate stone construction.

These architectural variations likely reflect regional differences in building materials and cultural practices. Julian Thomas, a contemporary archaeologist, suggests that the differences may indicate distinct social or cultural practices between regions.

Long Barrow Construction

Crafting the Past: Construction Techniques 

The construction of Long Barrows required significant communal effort, highlighting social cooperation. Archaeological evidence suggests that the process began with digging flanking ditches, the earth from which was used to create the mound. Timber or stone frameworks were then built within the barrow to form chambers or partitions.

Julian Thomas emphasizes the symbolic importance of the materials used in these constructions. For instance, locally sourced stones or timber suggest a desire to connect the structures to the local landscape, embedding community identity within the physical world. The monumental effort to move large megaliths—some weighing several tons—reflects the significance of these structures in Neolithic society.

Evidence of ritual activity during construction has also been discovered. At Wayland's Smithy long barrow, archaeologists found signs of feasting and offerings, indicating that the construction process may have held ceremonial importance. Frances Lynch, a specialist in prehistoric Wales, argues that building Long Barrows involved not just practical considerations, but also symbolic actions intended to invoke spiritual or ancestral forces.

Wayland's Smythy Long Barrow Oxfordshire

Unearthing the Past: Archaeology and Excavation Findings

Excavations of Long Barrows have shed light on burial practices, social organisation, and construction techniques. Glyn Daniel, an influential mid-20th-century archaeologist, was among the first to systematically classify these structures based on their form and regional variations. Excavations at notable sites such as West Kennet Long Barrow in Wiltshire, Wayland's Smithy in Oxfordshire, and Coldrum Stones in Kent have yielded evidence of multiple burials, often in a fragmented state, indicating complex mortuary practices.

DNA analysis reveals that those interred were often closely related, suggesting a hierarchical society where prominent families were laid to rest in these grand structures. This pattern reflects a connection between settlement, wealth, and power—an idea that resonates with modern notions of land ownership and resource protection. The Neolithic in this sense was indeed a revolution that we are still living today.

At West Kennet Long Barrow, excavated by John Thurnam in the mid-19th century and later by Stuart Piggott in the 1950s, the remains of at least 46 related individuals were discovered in a series of chambers at the eastern end of the barrow. Accompanied by pottery fragments and flint tools, these findings suggest that Long Barrows, unlike previous burial practices, were used to bury important individuals or elites, though not all were treated equally.

Plan of Wayland's Smythy Showing Construction Phases

Excavations at Wayland's Smithy, led by Paul Ashbee in the 1960s, revealed evidence of disarticulated human remains, indicating complex burial rites where bodies may have been placed in the barrow over time. Originally consisting of a burial of 14 individuals possibly the victims of a violent conflict due to bone marks suggesting violent deaths, it was later expanded, and more burials took place. These fragmented burials hint at the Long Barrows' role as long term communal tombs, emphasizing their importance in the social fabric of Neolithic life.

Excarnation in the Neolithic

Funerary Practices in the Neolithic: Understanding Excarnation

Excarnation is the practice of exposing a deceased body to the elements to allow scavenging animals to clean the remains before burial and offers an insight into Neolithic funerary customs. This ritual often involves leaving the body in an open area, allowing for natural decomposition, reflecting cultural beliefs about death and the cycle of life.

This ancient practice survives into the present with the "sky burials" of Tibet and the Zoroastrian religion’s  excarnation rites in the "Towers of Silence.” These rituals, symbolise a return to nature through the cycle of life. In more contemporary settings, environmental concerns and alternative funerary methods like green burials or natural burials align with similar principles, where bodies decompose with minimal interference, emphasizing a natural return to the earth.

Evidence suggests excarnation may have been practiced in many regions of Europe during the Neolithic period. Notably, archaeological findings along the River Avon at Durrington Walls, the largest Neolithic henge in the UK, indicate that raised platforms may have served this purpose. Located approximately 1.9 miles northeast of Stonehenge, Durrington Walls is rich in finds and is often referred to as a “Neolithic university.” Excavations revealed structures with four large posts, which may have functioned as raised areas for laying out the deceased. Cremation was another ritual practiced here. The site's significance as a ceremonial space underscores the complex relationship between the living and the dead, where communal burial practices and ritualised treatment of the deceased were integral to Neolithic life. It is not hard to speculate that the disarticulated bones interred in long barrows were the ritually deposited  skeletons of the ancestors after their flesh had been returned to Mother Earth via their “sky burial.”

Artifacts Found at West Kennet Long Barrow Near Avebury Wiltshire

Artifacts of Life and Death

In addition to human remains, various artifacts discovered in Neolithic Long Barrows provide valuable insights into the cultural practices of early farming communities. Among the most frequently found items are intricately decorated pottery fragments, likely used during rituals or feasting, and flint tools, such as knives, axes, and arrowheads, which may have served both practical and symbolic roles.

Animal bones, particularly from cattle, sheep, and pigs, often found in these sites, suggest that feasting or ritual sacrifice was commonplace. The proximity of these animal remains to human bones implies a spiritual relationship between humans and animals in the context of the afterlife.

Personal ornaments—beads, pendants, and other adornments made from materials like antler, bone, stone, or shell—further illuminate the social status of the deceased, often indicating elite members of the community. Additionally, polished stone axes, examples of wealth and status, may have held ceremonial importance, symbolising power and a connection to the earth or ancestors. Occasionally, carved chalk objects, such as figurines, are found in Long Barrows, suggesting further ritualistic or symbolic functions.

These artifacts indicate that Long Barrows were not merely burial sites; they were locations for community rituals, memory, and possibly ancestral veneration. Their widespread presence across Europe and the UK suggests a shared cultural approach to death and ritual in early Neolithic societies.

Belas Knap Long Barrow Glocestershire

Beyond the Burials: The Enigma of Non-Burial Long Barrows

While Long Barrows are typically associated with burial practices, several of them have been found to contain no human remains at all. This raises the intriguing possibility that not all Long Barrows were built exclusively for funerary purposes. The absence of burials in some barrows suggests they may have played more symbolic or ritualistic roles within Neolithic communities.

These non-burial Long Barrows may have been cenotaphs—monuments built to honour the dead without containing their physical remains. Alternatively, they could have served as territorial markers or communal gathering places, where rituals connected to the veneration of the ancestors, or the agricultural cycle were performed. Their alignment with celestial events, such as the rising sun or significant lunar phases, further supports the idea that these structures were intertwined with the cosmological beliefs of Neolithic societies.

Belas Knap Long Barrow in Gloucestershire is one such example. Though initially interpreted as a burial site, excavations revealed that its chambers were sealed and contained no bodies. Yet, the structure’s importance to its community was evident, likely serving as a symbolic monument for ritual ceremonies.

The Beckhampton Long Barrow in Wiltshire also lacks evidence of burials but is located near Avebury's ritual landscape. Its proximity to other sacred sites suggests it may have been part of a broader ceremonial complex, emphasizing its potential role in non-funerary religious practices.

Ritual Use of Empty Spaces

Non-burial Long Barrows challenge our understanding of Neolithic funerary practices, but they also open new interpretations of the role these monuments played in daily life. Some barrows contain artifacts like pottery, tools, and animal bones, suggesting that offerings or sacrifices were made within these spaces. Rather than just gravesites, these long barrows could have been locations where the living engaged with the memory of ancestors or with the cycles of nature, through rituals involving feasting, offerings, and ceremonies aimed at maintaining harmony between the physical and spiritual realms. Were they symbolic recreations of the Underworld? A return to the womb of the Earth Goddess? We shall perhaps never know. But the vast majority of long barrows are yet to be investigated so time will tell...

Celestial Connections

Celestial Connections: Orientation and Astronomical Alignments

Many Long Barrows are oriented along a roughly east-west axis, with entrances often facing east. This has led pioneers in archeoastronomy, like Alexander Thom, to suggest that these structures may have been deliberately aligned with celestial phenomena, such as the rising sun. Julian Thomas supports this theory, proposing that such orientations symbolise ideas of death and rebirth.

At West Kennet Long Barrow, for instance, the entrance faces east, and it is suggested that sunlight may have penetrated the chambers at specific times of the year, particularly during equinoxes. Maeshowe in Orkney, a later Neolithic structure, is aligned so that sunlight enters its central chamber at sunset during the Winter Solstice, reinforcing the notion that these sites were designed with astronomical events in mind. There are many more examples throughout Europe.

Professor Terence Meaden's research on the orientations of Long Barrows around Stonehenge highlights their deliberate alignment with significant solar and lunar events, suggesting that these monuments were integrated into a wider ritual landscape. The alignment of Long Barrows with the Greater Cursus at Stonehenge further reinforces their ritual significance.

Meaden emphasizes that these Neolithic structures were part of a cosmological worldview where astronomy, the dead, and the landscape were deeply interconnected, creating a sacred geography.

Christopher Tilley, a landscape archaeologist, proposes that these alignments reflect Neolithic peoples’ understanding of nature's cycles, suggesting that rituals performed at these sites were meant to align with seasonal changes. By linking the physical world with celestial events, the Long Barrows embodied the connection between the living, the dead, and the cosmos.

West Kennet Long Barrow

Theories of Long Barrow Orientation

The alignment of Long Barrows with celestial phenomena has led to various interpretations of their purpose. Some researchers suggest that these structures were not just burial sites but also places for communal gatherings, ceremonies, or rituals linked to agricultural cycles. The significance of the rising sun or moon in these rituals is reflected in the burial practices and artifacts discovered within the Long Barrows. The positioning of burials and offerings may have been influenced by cosmological beliefs, suggesting a spiritual connection to the heavens. Incorporating aspects of social hierarchy, it's posited that the alignment of Long Barrows may reflect the desire of ruling elites to assert control over both the land and the spiritual realm. By constructing monuments aligned with celestial events, they reinforced their status and connection to the divine, thereby fostering community cohesion and cultural identity.

Wayland's Smythy

Conclusion

 The story of Neolithic Long Barrows is a web spun from belief, tradition, and communal ties. Cradles of ancient rites, vessels full of ancestral echoes etched in stone and buried in sacred earth. These monumental structures offer a glimpse into the beliefs and practices of early farming communities, highlighting their connection to the land and the cosmos. As we continue to explore these ancient sites, I invite you to discover the rich history they embody. Visit local Long Barrows, museums, or archaeological sites to immerse yourself in the whispers of the past.

In my next instalment, I will delve deeper into the cultural significance of rituals associated with these structures, hopefully revealing some of the intricate relationships between the living and the dead that shaped Neolithic life. What deeper meanings do these ancient monuments hold, waiting to be uncovered? Join me as we continue this journey through time together.

Alexander Peach October 2024

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