In 2021, a possible archaeological feature was reported to the Dartmoor National Park archaeology team, eroding from a bare peat face on the summit of Cut Hill, one of the most remote spots in the Park. Often such reports turn out to be false alarms but in this case the presence of a horizontal slab which seemed to be resting on another, vertical stone protruding from the peat face suggested the corner of a cist. The excavation of the Whitehorse Hill cist in 2011 had amply demonstrated the preservation potential of Dartmoor’s peat and the Cut Hill site was very similar in its general situation.
Accordingly, plans were set in motion to investigate the site more closely, a radiocarbon date on a piece of charcoal from within the structure yielded an Early Bronze Age date centred on 1800 BC, supporting its interpretation as a cist, despite the insecure context. This prompted palaeoenvironmental investigation, funded by the MoD’s Conservation Stewardship Fund and undertaken by Professor Ralph Fyfe of the University of Plymouth which revealed that the summit of Cut Hill during the EBA was rather similar to today; a wet, boggy area but with the surrounding landscape containing a much greater coverage of trees. This work also dated the peat covering the structure indicating it had been concealed from view by the Iron Age.
Given these dates, the threat posed by the slowly eroding peat and the access of air to the structure’s interior, the decision was taken to excavate the site to prevent its eventual loss. This was undertaken between 9th and 14th August 2024 by a team lead by Dr. Lee Bray, the Park archaeologist and including the University of Leicester, Cornwall Archaeology Unit and Quantock and Exmoor Ltd. Given the possible fragility of any preserved organic artefacts, the objective of the work was primarily to remove the contents of the possible cist from the site as an intact block so that they could undergo micro-excavation under controlled conditions. In addition, terrestrial laser scanning was undertaken by Dr. Laura Basell of the University of Leicester to provide a high-precision 3D model of the cist and its surroundings, including nearby monuments.
Following recording, the three capstones were lifted to reveal several lengths of preserved wood, approximately 0.5-0.6 m in length, with what appeared to be worked ends and an oval hole cut through one of them. Following this dramatic reveal in which we gazed upon the face of our own Agamemnon, the whole block was rapidly wrapped and protected to maintain its environment as much as possible and ready it for lifting and transport. Without a doubt this was the most difficult and nerve-wracking part of the whole process. However, it was achieved through the use of an excavator operated with great delicacy and skill by Andy Coleman of Quantock and Exmoor Ltd under the direction of CAU and DNPA archaeologists. In this way, a steel sheet was pushed under the block and the whole was lifted into the back of waiting transport which was then driven very carefully over the rough terrain to waiting road transport. The whole block, weighing almost half a tonne, is now with the Wiltshire Conservation and Museums Advisory Service in Chippenham where it will be painstakingly excavated over the coming months.
It’s no exaggeration to state that the Cut Hill site has surpassed our expectations. The presence of preserved wood within it, at the top of the block of contents in the location most exposed to the air suggests there is every chance that there are other preserved artefacts in the wet peat beneath. These are likely to rival those recovered from Whitehorse Hill and shed yet more light on life on prehistoric Dartmoor.
Dr. Lee Bray
Acknowledgements: In addition to the team directly involved in the project so far, others deserve acknowledgement for the contributions they have made without which the work could not have been undertaken. These include: the Duchy of Cornwall, Dartmoor Forest Commoners, Grout Engineering Ltd and Rotrex Winches.