Visualising burnt areas: patterns of magnetic susceptibility at Guiting Power 1 round barrow (Glos., UK)

The distribution of burning over excavated surfaces within and under the early bronze age round barrow at Guiting Power 1 (Glos., UK: SP 08443 24461) was determined in detail by Bartington coil. The surviving pattern of burning marking the bases of the central primary ring-pyre, and of secondary and satellite box-pyres were obtained, then compared with existing experimental results. The distribution of burnt material incorporated into the core of the mound from rituals carried out as it grew, and the extent of enhancement around the margins of the monument from subsequent activities were also determined. It is clear that the extent and finer structure of directly burnt surfaces, and of indirectly enhanced areas, would have been seriously underestimated if based on subjective visual plotting not supplemented by full instrumental survey.