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Human remains from the River Thames: new dating evidence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2025

Nichola Arthur Open the ORCID record for Nichola Arthur [Opens in a new window] ,
Jane Sidell  and
Heather Bonney Open the ORCID record for Heather Bonney [Opens in a new window]
Nichola Arthur*
Affiliation:
Natural History Museum, London, UK
Jane Sidell
Affiliation:
Historic England, London, UK
Heather Bonney
Affiliation:
Natural History Museum, London, UK
*
*Author for correspondence ✉ [email protected]
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Abstract

The River Thames, winding through the English capital of London, is the source of a substantial archaeological assemblage that includes hundreds of human bones, but the lack of a robust chronology for these finds limits interpretation. Here, 30 new radiocarbon dates are reported for the human remains. In combination with other available dates (some of which are also published here for the first time), this improved chronological framework demonstrates a predominance of Bronze and Iron Age dates and emphasises the need to explore the Thames assemblage in the broader context of watery deposition practices of later prehistoric north-west Europe.

Keywords

North-west EuropeBritain & IrelandBronze AgeIron Ageradiocarbon datingvotive deposition
Type
Research Article
Information
Antiquity , First View , pp. 1 - 18
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Antiquity Publications Ltd

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