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From April to June 2009 Oxford Archaeology carried out archaeological excavations in preparation for the Weymouth Relief Road in the Southdown ridge about half way between the Ridgeway and Weymouth. It was thought that any archaeology at the site would have been removed by previous quarrying for limestone. However, this was not the case and well preserved evidence of a hitherto unknown Iron Age settlement was revealed.

The settlement appears to date from the Early Iron Age and seems to have been occupied continuously through to the Later Iron Age, so broadly from 700 BC through to AD 43. There are two major building phases; the first phase saw at least 2 buildings built using timber posts, with circular ring gullies around their perimeter. The second phase was a moderately large building, thought to be a house, terraced into the gentle slope of the hillside. It was built using low foundation walls of stone with a stone floor.

The full extent of the structures is not clear due to later disturbance, perhaps deliberate removal of stone to build another structure elsewhere. Building substantial structures from stone is unusual in the Iron Age period but is something which has been noted on other sites particularly in the Dorset region.

The site has been an amazing discovery; it is highly unusual to uncover layers of such well preserved archaeology of this period.

Burials - As well as evidence of the lives of the Iron Age occupants of the settlement, the occupants themselves have also been found. The excavation found a total of 25 articulated human skeletons. The majority were adults but there were also two neo-natal burials and two juveniles. The burials were mostly found in deliberate graves, in crouched positions and two were buried with a number of complete pots. However, a number of people were also buried in ditches and one seemed to have been put into a convenient rubbish pit. In two instances there were two people put into the same grave, but probably at slightly different times. A dog had also been deliberately buried in one of the ditches.Although the settlement is Iron Age three later Romano-British burials were also found slightly further along the ridge. These were distinct and were clearly buried with a different ritual practice. All three had coffins, seen from the iron nails, and two were wearing hob-nailed boots, the hob-nails still preserved.

Finds - Many artefacts including large amounts of pottery and animal bone have been discovered. Pottery is very distinct and patterns change over time and it can help determine how long people lived there from the date range – the span of time between the earliest piece and the latest piece. It can also vary depending on location, which means that we can see if people are moving or trading.

Shale was also found on site both as natural fragments and as pieces which had been worked into bracelets, rings or armlets and the waste pieces from the manufacturing process. This shows that the inhabitants were bringing shale to the site and making jewellery for themselves.

All the finds and environmental information are to be collated, catalogued and reported on by specialists. For further information please contact Oxford Archaeology, Tel: 01865 263800.