A 4,000-year-old mound has been unearthed by University College Worcester students. The Neolithic monument, near Bredon, south of Pershore (Worcestershire, England), including the cremation pit of a young child and items associated with ancient rituals, was excavated last month. It is the first henge - a circular ritual enclosure - to be investigated in the region.
     The two-week excavation was led by UCW archaeology lecturer, Dr Jodie Lewis, and David Mullin, of the Gloucestershire County Council archaeological service. Dr Lewis said the site had been an important discovery. "Bredon Hill has been the focus for human activity since the year dot, because it is just about the only hill in the Severn Valley plain,'' she said. "We've discovered lots of history from Roman times right back to the Neolithic age, so it has been great for our students to put their skills into practice."
     The site was discovered last year when distinctive crop marks were spotted from a plane. Other finds at the site include more burial pits, stone tools and pottery, which are believed to date the site somewhere between 2,700 BCE - 2,000 BCE - the tail-end of the Neolithic Period.
     The excavation team displayed their finds on the site during a special open day, which was attended by nearly 100 people. Dr Lewis said the dig had been a team effort and the 20 students had a fantastic time. The archaeology department has plans to display the finds at UCW.

Source: This is Worcestershire (2 October 2004)