Bronze age grave goods from Bedd Branwen burial site, Anglesey

Description

Jet bead which was discovered at the burial site known as 'Bedd Branwen' [Branwen's Grave], near the river Alaw, Llanbabo, Anglesey.

By 1600 B.C. cremation had become the normal means of human burial. Following the cremation ceremony, the ashes and bones were either gathered and buried in a hole in the ground or were left on the surface. More attention was paid to the ashes on some occasions and they were placed in containers such as pottery urns. Sometimes items such as tools, weapons or personal ornaments were burnt and/or buried with the deceased. There is a difference between objects which adorned the corpse on the pyre and those which were placed for the use of the deceased in the after-life as offerings. The plain barrel-shaped bead shown here was an offering which was placed at the bottom of the burial urn before the bones were put in. This jet bead was very old when it was buried (burial C) and is of Whitby jet or lignite. It is possible that it was part of a necklace.