The whole skeleton of a young aurochs, or wild cattle, was placed in this shallow rectangular pit. Since aurochs became extinct at the end of the Bronze Age, this burial must be Bronze Age in date or earlier. No datable finds were found to help phase the burial, but the bone will be radiocarbon dated. Note that the hind and front legs have been removed from the body and placed by the head of the animal. This suggests a deliberate ritual associated with the burial.
For more information visit www.wessexarch.co.uk/projects/wiltshire/boscombe/boscombe...
Trojan_Llama added this photo to his favorites. (89 months ago)
Trojan_Llama 89 months ago | reply
Nice one! Did I read somewhere that British domestic cattle are descended not descended from aurochs?
markus_buehler 51 months ago | reply
All cattle-races are descendents from the Aurochs (which survived in central Europe much longer than in the UK, the last died in the early 17.th century at Polland). Some races have retained. The english park cattle for example is a very old race which has still many similarities with the original Aurochs.