Round barrow

A round barrow is a type of tumulus and is one of the most common types of archaeological monuments. Although concentrated in Europe, they are found in many parts of the world, probably because of their simple construction and universal purpose.

Description

At its simplest, a round barrow is a hemispherical mound of earth and/or stone raised over a burial placed in the middle. Beyond this there are numerous variations which may employ surrounding ditches, stone kerbs or flat berms between ditch and mound. Construction methods range from a single creation process of heaped material to a complex depositional sequence involving alternating layers of stone, soil and turf with timbers or wattle used to help hold the structure together.

The central burial may be placed a stone chamber or cist or in a cut grave. Both intact inhumations and cremations placed in vessels can be found.

Many round barrows attract surrounding satellite burials or later ones inserted into the mound itself. In some cases these occur hundreds or even thousands of years after the original barrow was built and were placed by entirely different cultures.

Barrow

Barrow may refer to:

Places

United Kingdom

United States

The Moon

People

Art, entertainment, and media

Sports

Other uses

Barrow (Lake District)

Barrow is small fell in the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria which reaches a height of 455 metres (1,494 feet). It is situated in the quiet and picturesque Newlands Valley just 4 kilometres south west of the town of Keswick. Although modest in height, Barrow commands a fine all round view, with the vales of Keswick and Newlands being well seen. The name of the fell originates from the Anglo Saxon language meaning a hill or long ridge.

Topography

Barrow is a slender ridge climbing south west from Braithwaite. At the summit it turns due west across the depression of Barrow Door, diverted by the valley of Stonycroft Gill. Beyond the col are Stile End and Outerside. The valley of Coledale lies to the north west and Newlands Beck forms the eastern boundary.

Ascents

Ascents of the fell are usually started from either the Newlands Valley or Braithwaite, both giving an enjoyable short ramble which can be combined with the adjoining higher fell of Outerside. The climb from Newlands starts at the hamlet of Stair and utilises an old mine road up Stonycroft Gill up to a height of 350 metres before veering back east to attain the summit. There are two paths from Braithwaite, one follows the northern ridge of the fell while the other approaches up the valley of Barrow Gill.

Tumulus

A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli also are known as barrows, burial mounds, or kurgans, and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones built for various purposes, might also originally have been a tumulus.

Tumuli are often categorized according to their external apparent shape. In this respect, a long barrow is a long tumulus, usually constructed on top of several burials, such as passage graves. A round barrow is a round tumulus, also commonly constructed on top of burials. The internal structure and architecture of both long and round barrows has a broad range, the categorization only refers to the external apparent shape.

The method of inhumation may involve a dolmen, a cist, a mortuary enclosure, a mortuary house, or a chamber tomb. Examples of barrows include Duggleby Howe and Maeshowe.

The word tumulus is Latin for 'mound' or 'small hill', which is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *teuh₂- with extended zero grade *tum-, 'to bulge, swell' also found in tumor, thumb, thigh, and thousand.