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Attitudes to Disposal of the Dead in Southern Britain 3500 B.C.-A.D. 43. By P. H. W. Bristow

ditches often had a complex depositional history, especially those on the east circuit, which were partly backfilled, sealing placed or structured deposits. Such deposits have been tentatively associated with kin or group ceremonies. The range of ditch deposits was impressive, many focussing upon terminals. The west ditches contained evidence of antler, wood and bark working from primary contexts. Differences were observed between depositional practices in the east and west ditches, perhaps reflecting ritual constraints or activity zoning. This was paralleled by heavy concentrations of phosphates in the west part of the interior and the craft debris mentioned above. 'Pyre-like' burnt deposits were found in some ditches, and magnetic susceptibility recorded high readings around some ditch segments, perhaps indicating funeral pyres or ritual bonfires. A taphonomic study discovered that the human bone of Phases IA and IB, unlike the animal assemblage, showed evidence of gnawing and abrasion, possibly from excarnation practices within the enclosure. Ditch recutting was common in Phase IB. Small, filled pits were recorded over much of the interior, and their contents complimented the deposits in the ditches. The interior failed to produce structural evidence that might confirm permanent occupation which, taken together with the data for periodic flooding, suggests seasonal usage. Phase 2 (Late Neolithic) saw a considerable reduction in the number of dug features, with some continuity in the composition of pit fills, now associated with Peterborough Ware. However, the most distinctive Phase 2 feature was the south ditch of the Etton cursus, laid obliquely across the interior south-east to north-west. The north cursus ditch lay outside the enclosure. Although strictly undated, the Etton cursus was considered to be earlier than that nearby at Maxey, which had produced Beaker pottery, and was probably associated with a Grooved Ware horizon. This final palimpsest of neolithic sites at Etton has similarities with that at Fornham All Saints in Suffolk, where a series of cursus overlie two causewayed enclosures with a group of hengiform monuments clustered to the south-east. At Etton, the cursus complex creates similar associations, physically connecting the enclosure to ring-ditch sites to the north-west. Eventually, the Maxey henge complex straddled the Maxey cursus, realigning once again the monument focus, but still placed with reference to the earlier sites. Overall, this report argues that the excavations demonstrate a range of 'public and private social gatherings' acted out in a seasonally occupied enclosure located in a liminal landscape setting. The careful excavation and recording at Etton have created a report that is a mine of detailed information that will provide much data for further research and analysis. The only quibbles are with the production quality of the book. Some photographs could be improved in terms of sharpness and contrast, and on a book costing £70, should we really only have card covers? However, this reviewer cannot recommend this monograph too highly it should be read.