West Kennet Long Barrow, Avebury, Wiltshire

West Kennet Long Barrow is a Neolithic chambered burial mound (tomb). It was built in around 3600 BC. The mound is about 104 metres long, 25 metres wide at the widest point and 3.2 metres at the highest point. Inside it there is a 12 metre long central passage with five small chambers opening off it. The chambers contained the bones of at least 36 people. Many of the burials were incomplete - some bones were missing. The excavations also found a range of prehistoric pottery. It is one of the largest, most impressive and most accessible Neolithic chambered tombs in Britain. It is now in the care of English Heritage (2010). Read detailed archaeological description.

Location

Wiltshire Avebury

Period

Prehistoric (to AD42)

Themes

Tags

barrow neolithic archaeology aerial view tomb english heritage stone age death